Thailand, the foreign country most affected by the Hamas raid on October 7, has been celebrating since this morning -Thai time- the release of ten of its nationals late on Friday. The Foreign Ministry in Bangkok estimates that twenty of its citizens remain kidnapped in Gaza tunnels. In addition to thirteen Israelis, a Filipino hostage, Jimmy Pacheco, was also released last night, according to Manila.
The hostages briefly crossed into Egypt, through the Rafah Pass, before entering Israel at another point, a few kilometers further south. Before being repatriated to Thailand, the released Thais will remain under hospital observation for 48 hours, with the assistance of Thai-speaking psychologists. Among them is the only Thai woman among the hostages.
Thailand mourns the death of at least 39 of its citizens in the massacre by the Palestinian armed organization Hamas. Another 19 were injured, of whom four have been hospitalized for more than a month and a half. Most Thais, accustomed to high temperatures, are employed in agricultural work in greenhouses near the Gaza Strip. Since the blockade of the Palestinian strip, more than fifteen years ago, these Asians have become part of the landscape of the area, replacing the Palestinian labor force.
At least eight thousand of the thirty thousand Thais residing in Israel have already been repatriated, with the help of their government, which estimates that around twenty thousand have expressed their willingness to terminate their contracts (the initial contract is for two years, extendable up to five years and three months). The real number of Thais who help maintain the Israeli economy could be much higher, since many remain illegally and in worse than legal conditions (1,300 euros per month) when their contracts end or arrive in the country with a tourist visa, of which they abuse and by whom they are abused.
Nepal, with ten dead, and the Philippines, with four, are the other Asian countries most affected by the initial violence in Israel, then multiplied in Gaza. Despite this, all these countries, which recognize both Israel and Palestine, like most Asian countries, have maintained great discretion. The Thai Foreign Ministry has thanked the cooperation, in carrying out this first evacuation, “from Qatar, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Malaysia and the International Committee of the Red Cross.” The United States has not been part of this particular negotiation.
The Thai Government has also indicated that among its ten released citizens there are four whose situation was unknown or had been misinterpreted. In fact, one of them had been presumed dead weeks ago, so his grieving girlfriend jumped out of her chair when she saw him on television inside one of the evacuation vehicles. Almost all come from the poorest regions in northern Thailand.
This Friday the first four-day truce between Israel and Hamas came into force, after more than a month and a half of war, as part of an agreement for the release of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. Thirty-nine of the latter, including women and adolescents, also regained their freedom yesterday.
The ten freed Thai hostages are Natthawaree Moonkan – the only woman, who worked in a factory – Santi Boonphrom, Boonthom Phankhong, Mongkhol Phajuabboon, Withoon Phumee, Bancha Kongmanee, Buddee Saengboon, Uthai Thunsri, Uthai Sangnuan and Wichai Kalapat, whose “resurrection” is celebrated by his girlfriend.
Around 215 hostages remain kidnapped in Gaza, although an unknown number have died after a month and a half of Israeli retaliatory bombings, with a death toll close to fifteen thousand, according to Hamas authorities.
Last week the Thai government received assurances from Hamas that its hostages were “safe and sound.”
Another Filipino caregiver, Noralyn Bobadilla, is missing. Meanwhile, hundreds of Filipino caregivers and hotel employees have left Israel and Lebanon in recent weeks, fearing for their safety.
The situation is even more serious in the construction sector, which depends more than 25% on Palestinian labor, than it is now. Six months ago, Israel began negotiating with New Delhi about the possibility of employing nearly 40,000 Indian construction workers. This figure would have increased to one hundred thousand due to the effects of the war. To them could be added next year ten thousand Sinhalese bricklayers and an unknown number of Chinese. Although to put the figures in perspective it must be clarified that no less than ten million Indian immigrants (Muslims, Hindus and Christians) work in the Arabian Peninsula.
