"We didn't have the reason of the closure," said Sihasak, "the Iraqi embassy didn't formally tell us the decision."

One diplomat and one administrative staff were left in the embassy compound, while a note had been put up on the embassy gates informing the closure, according to Sihasak.

The closure was the decision of the embassy itself and the Thai government had never asked the Iraqi government to close its embassy in Thailand, said Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thailand expelled three low-ranking Iraqi diplomats one week ago, claiming for national security consideration.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2003)