A Saudi Woman who says she is fleeing her “abusive” family has been allowed to temporarily enter Thailand under the protection of the UN refugee agency.
An evaluation of her case and claims for asylum is set to take around five to seven days.
Images released by Thai immigration police show Ms Alqunun leaving her room at a Bangkok airport hotel where she barricaded herself inside amid fears for her safety.
The teenager arrived in Thailand on a flight from Kuwait, claims she is fleeing beating and death threats from male relatives and fears she will be killed if she is forced to return.
The agreement allowing her to leave the airport came after officials from the UN refugee agency, known as UNHCR, met Thai immigration police chief Major General Surachate Hakparn, and then with Ms Alqunun.
UNHCR declined to release any details of its meeting with Ms Alqunun, but its representative in Thailand Giuseppe De Vincentiis noted "a good spirit of collaboration so far" with Thai officials.
According to Major General Surachate, Ms Alqunun's father was due to arrive in Bangkok on Monday night, and officials would then see if she was willing to depart with him.
"As of now, she does not wish to go back and we will not force her. She won't be sent anywhere tonight," Major General Surachate said at one of several news conferences at the airport.
"She fled hardship. Thailand is a land of smiles," he said. "We will not send anyone to die. We will not do that. We will adhere to human rights under the rule of law."
She told the BBC that she had renounced Islam and is fearful of her father's retaliation.
Additional reporting by AP.
