The Death Toll of Thai Workers in Israel has Risen to 39

(CTN News) – The Foreign Ministry has acknowledged the regrettably rising death toll of Thai citizens working in Israel. The Thai embassy in Tel Aviv made the announcement yesterday after Israeli officials confirmed the identities of five more Thai nationals who were among the victims.

Nineteen Thais have been injured and twenty-five have been taken captive in addition to the reported deaths. Among those injured, four are still undergoing care in hospitals.

On Friday, Thai Ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya and Social Security Office official Sakdinart Sonthisakdiyothin paid a visit to three of the injured at Tel Hashomer Sheba and Shamir Medical Center/Assaf Harofe.

The MFA has reported that these people are doing well after their injuries, and plans are being made to check in on the remaining affected employees.

Pairote Chotikasathien, Thailand’s permanent secretary for labour, recently reported that more than 6,000 Thai workers have applied for compensation from a fund set aside specifically for abroad workers.

About half of these claims have been approved, and the other claimants should receive their 15,000 baht apiece sometime this next week. According to Bangkok Post, he said that documentation problems had caused some payments to be delayed.

Additionally, those workers returning home are slated to receive an extra compensation of 50,000 baht each, a move that has been agreed in principle by the prime minister.

Those who had to leave their homes because of the violence will receive compensation as well as the relatives of those who died. The Cabinet meeting tomorrow is expected to give its blessing to this financial aid.

Pairote said that provincial labour offices are now collecting paperwork from workers to process reimbursements for travel expenses.

About 2,400 requests have been made as of this writing, with about 1,100 requesting air travel and the remaining 1,300 requesting transfers between airports within Israel.

About 30,000 Thai labourers were living in Israel prior to the cross-border incursions on October 7 by the Palestinian group Hamas.

Since then, just about eight thousand have returned home, while more than twenty thousand have chosen to remain despite the growing violence.

Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara expressed confidence last week, stating that the Thai captives are anticipated to be among the first of around 250 hostages to be freed because they are currently being kept in relatively safe regions, and that efforts to rescue them continue.