Ms. Alqunun’s original destination had been Australia, where she hoped to join other women who have fled Saudi Arabia, a patriarchal society where male family members can control even the smallest details of a woman’s life.

Both Canada and Australia interviewed Ms. Alqunun as part of the refugee placement process, she said. The final decision on where to send her was up to the United Nations refugee agency, which granted her refugee status earlier in the week.

But General Surachate said she preferred Canada over Australia for personal reasons.

“She wishes to go to Canada,” he said, “so we respect her wishes.”

Both Thailand and Canada were commended for their handling of the case by Filippo Grandi, the top refugee official at the United Nations.

“Refugee protection today is often under threat and cannot always be assured, but in this instance international refugee law and overriding values of humanity have prevailed,” he said in a statement.

Canada’s decision is likely to aggravate already tense relations with Saudi Arabia. In August the kingdom expelled the Canadian ambassador to Riyadh, recalled the Saudi ambassador to Ottawa and froze all new trade and investment deals with Canada after Canada’s Foreign Ministry posted two Twitter messages calling on Saudi Arabia to release imprisoned rights activists, including two who have family in Canada.

The kingdom also retaliated against Canada with a series of other measures that included suspending flights by Saudia, the national carrier, to Canadian airports, and ordering the transfer of thousands of Saudi students studying in Canada elsewhere.