Thai Hajj pilgrims leave for Saudi Arabia

BANGKOK, August 16 (TNA) - Another group of 578 Thai pilgrims left the southern province of Narathiwat on Sunday to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. They were seen off at the airport in Narathiwat by Panu Uthairat, secretary-general of Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre, the provincial governor Natthapong Sirichana and thousands of their relatives and friends. A total of 1,156 Thai pilgrims would be leaving for Saudi Arabia by four chartered flights on Sunday and Monday. The Saudi Arabian government this year allotted the quota to 10,400 Thai pilgrims to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Middle Eastern country. (TNA)