EVEN AS repatriation of Thai workers from Israel is continuing with two flights scheduled for today (Oct. 17), some Thai workers stuck in the so-called “red zone” where fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants is raging appealed for help, TV Channel 7 said this morning.
As soon as the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv posted a message on its Facebook page that workers who want to return home should confirm this by travelling to the arranged shelter – a hotel- messages seeking help flooded in.
The embassy also said it would arrange for them to fly back as soon as possible and that they should travel to the shelter in groups and keep their transportation receipts for refund in Thailand.
At 6.20 a.m. Israel time today an El Al flight will be bringing 200 registered workers back to Thailand with the airplane to land at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 7.05 p.m. Thai time.
A Thai Airways International flight will also be bringing 280 workers back to Thailand with the airplane to depart at 11.00 a.m. Israel time and land at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 3.30 a.m. Thai time tomorrow.
However this post led to appeals for help from Thai workers unable to get to the designated shelter with some saying that their employers won’t let them leave and urged Thai authorities to negotiate with them so that they could travel home.
They also urged their employers to not force them to continue working by withholding their wages.
Many other Thai workers said they were unable to get out of the dangerous red zone and travel to the shelter and had not received any help to do so.
Some said they had registered to travel home but could not arrange transportation to reach the shelter.
CAPTION:
Some of the 130 Thais who returned home on an air force Airbus A340-500 flight that landed at Don Mueang Airport at 6.50 a.m. yesterday, Oct. 16, 2023. Photos: Matichon
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