BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): Dismissing reports that Thai workers were being traded in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Thai ambassador said they were only being moved to other workplaces for their safety.
Earlier, several videos making the rounds on social media showed Thai workers pleading with the government for assistance, saying they were being sold to other employers and being forced to work despite the ongoing violence.
Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said he has instructed relevant authorities to investigate the matter, saying such situations should not occur during this difficult time.
Thai ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya (pic) on Tuesday (Oct 10) said the embassy has been working with the Israeli government to get Thai workers moved from dangerous sites and placed with other employers in safer places.
Pannabha said this will allow them to continue earning a living, and that this should really be seen as a "change of job".
She added that she has also asked the employers to give their Thai employees some time off to deal with the emotional fallout of the conflict.
As of Tuesday, as many as 3,862 Thai workers have asked to return home, with the first batch of 15 set to arrive on Thursday.
Some, however, have expressed their desire to continue living in Israel.
Pannabha said the Thai embassy is giving first priority to Thai civilians in regions that are most badly affected, adding that the embassy would continue doing what it can to provide aid to Thai people.
She said it was still unknown where Hamas militants were keeping the 11 Thai hostages, but she assured that she was working with Israeli authorities to secure their freedom.
Earlier, Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Orna Sagiv had promised that Thai workers would be given the same protection as Israeli citizens as the battle between Hamas and Israel worsens.
“I would like to assure Thai people that Israel will use all measures to protect Thai workers,” she said in her post on X (formerly Twitter).
According to the Labour Ministry, there are about 25,000 Thai workers in 12 Israeli towns. The southern city of Haradom has the greatest concentration of Thais.
The Jewish state is the second nation with the largest number of Thai employees.
