"The war is over and we hope that Iraqi people will live peacefully. We are waiting to watch the situation in Baghdad in the coming days," third secretary Talal Waleed told AFP.

He said he was one of two remaining Iraqi diplomats working at the embassy.

Three junior diplomats were expelled from Thailand in March after being accused of posing national security threats to the kingdom.

Talal, who arrived to take up his post in the kingdom on April 1, said he had lost contact with Baghdad.

"We lost communications with Baghdad some time ago," he said, adding that he had "no idea" on the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein.

He had no contact with any superiors or family and friends.

"What I have learned is just through TV," he said.

The embassy was operating as usual, Talal said, declining to say when the mission, which closed in late March, had reopened.

"The embassy was never officially closed. But it may not have operated at full capacity due to a lack of staff."

In late March the Thai Prime Minister said the embassy had been closed due to a staff shortage which resulted from the expulsion of the diplomats and the charge d'affaires suffering from an illness.

The Thai government insisted at the time it had not ordered the closure of the embassy.

Thailand, a US ally in its war on terror, remained neutral throughout the conflict.

SPACE.WIRE