BANGKOK — Five Thai nationals held hostage by Hamas since its attack on Israel returned home on Sunday after their release from captivity last month.
The group was the second batch of 31 Thai hostages released so far since the war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023. During an earlier ceasefire in November 2023, 23 Thai nationals were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with assistance from Qatar and Iran. Two others were confirmed dead and the status of one remaining person is not clear.
Thais were the largest group of foreigners held captive by Hamas militants. Many of the Thai agricultural workers lived in compounds on the outskirts of southern Israeli kibbutzim and towns, and Hamas militants overran those places first. A total of 46 Thais have been killed during the conflict, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the early days after the Oct. 7 attack, then-Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in phone conversations to assist the Thai hostages.
These are the latest Thai nationals to have been freed.
In the Oct. 7 attack, militants overran the compound where agricultural workers lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Of the 16 Thai workers living there, 11 were killed and five, including Watchara Sriaoun, were abducted.
They were among at least 31 Thai workers taken in the assault.
During the November 2023 ceasefire, 23 were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with assistance from Qatar and Iran.
Sathian Suwannakham was also taken from Nir Oz. The kibbutz has continued to advocate for the release of the Thai workers by posting regularly about them on social media.
Sathian told Thai officials he had been working in a chicken farm for about four years when he was taken hostage, according to an official news release.
About 30,000 Thais were working in Israel when the war started, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry, the vast majority in agriculture. About 5,000 lived in the southern area near the border with Gaza.
Surasak Rumnao was abducted from the town of Yesha, near the southern Gaza Strip.
His mother, Khammee Lamnao, said the Thai embassy in Israel informed her that her son would be released.
“I cannot wait to see my son,” the 53-year-old said. “I’ve been waiting for him.”
Surasak had been working in the agricultural sector in Israel for 15 months when he was taken hostage.
Pongsak Thaenna was also taken from Yesha. He had been working in Israel since 2016.
“It felt like I died and I was reborn,” he said in an interview video distributed by Thai officials. “I really want to see my daughter.”
His father, Wilas Thaenna, wept after receiving a call to say his son had been freed.
“I never thought this day would come,” the 65-year-old told the BBC. “I don’t know how to explain how I got through all that happened. My son was taken captive, I lost my wife, I had to stay strong.”
Bannawat Saethao was also abducted from the town of Yesha.
The youngest of his three children was just one month old when he was taken hostage, according to reports.
“I’m so relieved,” he said in the video handout from Thai officials. “When I was there, I never knew if I’d ever get to return home.”
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