The Foreign Ministry reported on its website yesterday that the Thais including students and tourists gathered at three designated spots in Kumamoto and also Oita prefecture to board buses.

They were transported to Fukuoka airport and a shelter at the Global Arena in the prefecture provided by the Thai Embassy in Japan, according to the ministry.

“Everyone is safe and there are no reports of any injuries” among Thais in Japan, the embassy said on Facebook. Besides the Thais, 68 foreigners requesting assistance were also included in this operation, the ministry said.

Sithikorn Chantadansuwan, an adviser to the Thai ambassador to Japan, said four buses were used to take the people to Fukuoka, which was considered safer than the locations struck by the twin earthquakes over the past few days. The refugees could choose to remain in Japan or return home, he said.

There were no reports of any Thais hurt by the tremors, he said.

At least 41 people were killed and a thousand injured in the two quakes.

More than 110,000 residents were sent to makeshift shelters, Japan’s broadcaster NHK reported.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called on all Thais to pray for the Japanese victims, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. “Japan is a country that has been our close ally for a long time.

“The prime minister calls on Thais to offer moral support for the Japanese to overcome this bad situation as soon as possible,” he said.

Prayut has also sent a letter of condolence to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

“He stressed the Thai government’s readiness to provide full assistance if requested by the Japanese authorities,” he said.

State agencies were put on standby to provide support to Japan and Thais affected by the disaster, he said.

The Thai consulate in Osaka and Thai volunteers in Japan were closely following the situation and providing help to Thais in need of assistance.

The government has set up emergency numbers. The Thai Embassy in Tokyo can be reached at (8190) 4435 7812 and 1216 3168, the Thai consulate in Osaka at (8190) 7488 5672 and 1895 0987 and the Consular Affairs Department’s call centre at 02 572 8442.