Three more Thais dead, as PM insists on neutral war stance

Since Hamas launched its massive assault on October 7, three more Thais working in Israel have been killed.

According to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the Thai consulate in Tel Aviv reported yesterday that the number of Thai people killed in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist party has increased to 24. Before departing the military airport in Bangkok’s Don Mueang area for Phitsanulok province, Mr. Srettha reported that 16 Thais had been kidnapped and injured.

He declared that the state would keep working with various organizations to quickly remove Thais.

According to the prime minister, the number of Thais expressing a desire to return to Thailand had increased to roughly 7, 000 as of yesterday.

He expressed gratitude to Thai Airways International ( THAI ), Nok Air, and Thai AirAsia commercial airlines for their assistance in bringing Thais back from Israel.

Mr. Srettha claimed that in order to give an A340 airplane to remove Thais, he personally contacted a private business operator that had aviation connected to China’s airline. 300 Thais could be transported by the aircraft per trip.

He insisted that Thailand has adopted a neutral posture regarding the situation in Israel, claiming that the kingdom was not involved in the conflict. He had a responsibility to cooperate with all parties in order to save Thai life during this issue.

According to him, the government’s demand for authorization to travel through the aircraft of more than 10 nations for Thailand to conduct its repatriation operation is then anticipated to receive approval in two days as opposed to the anticipated 10 days. When the PM meets with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs( MFA) later today, more information about the evacuation operation is anticipated, he said.

In the meantime, according to the Ministry of Public Health, of the 56 Thai people — 55 men and one woman — who arrived in Thailand from Israel in the second batch on Friday night, two have received additional treatment for their gun wounds, and another eight were discovered to be mentally ill and will require additional care before they can return home.

According to public health secretary Cholnan Srikaew, the two injured staff were a 26-year-old man from Khon Kaen who was shot in the hips and an injured person, 38, from Nakhon Phanom.

A medical and mental wellbeing group in Rayong and Chon Buri is then prepared for the upcoming repatriation flight that will arrive at U-Tao Airport, he said. At 7:25 a.m. now, Fly Dubai’s next repatriation flight, which is transiting in Dubai, will touch down at U-Tapao. They will be taken to the SC Park Hotel in Bangkok from the aircraft.