35 Thais return from Israel with more airplanes being arrange

TNR Staff

3 years ago

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ALTOGETHER 35 Thais caught in the Israel-Hamas war returned to Thailand today (Oct. 12) while one more worker died taking the death toll to 21 and more airplanes are being arranged to bring others home, Thai News Agency and Naewna newspaper said.

Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara said after welcoming the returning workers that 15 had flown back with the help of the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv while another 20 had purchased their own ticket to do so.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said this morning while departing Malaysia for Singapore that one more Thai had died in this war taking the death toll to 21 with effort being made to find other channels to evacuate Thais but the sea route is too dangerous as vessels have to pass through Gaza Strip.

Another route is by car to Jordan, he said, adding that the government is doing its best with additional officials assigned to speedily help Thais stuck in the war zone.

Meanwhile Mr. Chai Watcharong, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, later said that many aircraft had been arranged to fly Thai workers back home from Israel including two airplanes each of Air Asia and Nok Air.

Thai Airways International will later today inform how many planes it can arrange for this evacuation while the air force has definitely arranged more than one aircraft.

He added that the Prime Minister had pointed out that as a round trip from Thailand to Israel is 6,983 kilometres with the flight time being nine hours, a new strategy to first evacuate Thais to friendly nearby countries should be worked out.

CAPTION:

The first batch of Thai workers arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport today with Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprkarn on hand to greet them.All photos: Naewna