BANGKOK, Thailand — The deadly uprising by Palestinian Hamas militants against Israel a continent away has hit home here as Thai nationals from this Buddhist-majority country made up an unexpectedly large percentage of the foreign nationals killed or captured in the fighting so far.
According to authorities, a minimum of 20 Thai nationals employed in Israel lost their lives during a series of violent attacks and missile strikes carried out by Palestinian militants. While 25 countries have reported casualties or captures in the ongoing conflict, Thailand ranks second in terms of the number of fatalities, following only the United States.
The newly appointed Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, traveled to Malaysia, a Muslim nation that has diplomatic relations with the Palestinians, seeking assistance in securing the release of 14 Thai individuals who are suspected to be among the 150 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Additionally, Bangkok announced on Wednesday that 13 Thais were injured during the conflict.
Israel has reported that the unexpected attack in southern Israel has resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 Israeli and foreign civilians and military members. On Wednesday, the State Department stated that their most recent count confirms the loss of 22 American lives during the assault, and an almost equal number of individuals remain unaccounted for. There is a possibility that these individuals may have been captured by Hamas.
At the time of the attack, it was believed that approximately 30,000 Thai citizens were employed in Israel.
Families in desolate rural Thai villages expressed to the Agence France-Presse news agency that their loved ones traveled to Israel in order to settle family debts or improve their modest living conditions. In the predominantly rural and economically disadvantaged northeastern region of Thailand, concerned individuals sought solace at local shrines and performed rituals that combined Buddhist, Hindu, and animist practices. They hoped for divine intervention to assist their trapped relatives and provide solace for those who had passed away.
“I cannot reword”
According to reports, Thailand has sought assistance from the Palestinian Authority and other Muslim countries like Egypt and Jordan to aid in the release of the Thai hostages.
“I am unable to reword the given text.”
The Thai Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday that over 5,000 Thai workers in Israel are looking to return to Thailand, while an additional 25,000 who initially came for employment opportunities wish to stay. Certain Thai laborers are reluctant to leave Israel as they still owe money to Thai intermediaries who assisted them in securing jobs in desert farms and construction teams.
If a Thai broker is involved in securing the job, arranging contracts for Thai workers can be quite costly and typically span a duration of five years. In the event that an employee flees and breaks the contract, they may end up indebted to the broker.
Mr. Owat has worked in Israel since 2021, saving up funds to build a house in Thailand for Ms. Kanyarat and their two kids.
She expressed her desire to embrace him and convey, “I have longed for your presence and I will ensure you never go distant again,” to the journalists.
The deceased individuals from Thailand are still awaiting transportation back to their home country for cremation or burial.
According to the Bangkok Post, there is a shortage of Israeli security and emergency personnel available to help recover deceased individuals due to their deployment in conflict zones.
Mr. Srettha, a former real estate tycoon, is facing his first international crisis with the Hamas-Israel war. He currently leads a mixed civilian-military government that took office in August.
Following the recent attack by Hamas over the weekend, the foreign ministry of Thailand released a statement expressing a neutral stance. The statement urged all parties involved to avoid any actions that could intensify tensions and aligned with the international community in denouncing any form of violence and indiscriminate attacks.
Thai workers have previously been caught in the middle of conflicts between Hamas and Israel. In 2021, two Thai workers lost their lives when Hamas launched rockets towards Israel.
