Hoping for the best: Thawatchai and Thongkoon On-kaew, parents of Natthaporn, a factory worker in Gaza who has been abducted in the conflict, holding up his photos at their house in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. — Reuters
The families of Thai labourers held hostage by Hamas spoke of their fears for their safety, after the Palestinian group threatened to execute civilian captives in its war with Israel.
At least 18 Thais have been killed and 11 seized since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday.
Hamas dragged off around 150 people as hostages in its attack and has said it will execute them one by one if Israel continues to hit Gaza with air strikes.
Kanyarat Suriyasri, whose husband Owat Suriyasri is among those taken, spoke of her horror at learning the news.
“When I heard that he was among the 11 hostages taken by Hamas, my heart dropped,” she told AFP. “I am waiting to hear some good news.”
Owat, 40, from Si Saket province in eastern Thailand, is a “very friendly, caring and happy man”, Kanyarat said. He moved to Israel in 2021 for improved wages, hoping to build a better house for his wife and two children.
“We have a lot of debts, and working abroad pays better than in Thailand.”
Kanyarat told AFP that if she could see her husband, she would tell him, “I’ve missed you, I won’t let you anywhere far away again.”
Wannida Ma-asa’s husband Anucha Angkaew, 28, an avocado farm worker, was another of those taken hostage.
“I’m devastated. I spoke with him on the day he was kidnapped. I had a video call with him before it happened and we chatted normally,” she told AFP.
But despite Hamas’ bloody threat to kill its captives, Wannida said she was holding out for the safe return of her husband.
“I really hope he survives... I have 100% hope. I am patiently watching the news, waiting to hear some good news,” she said.
Anucha, who has a daughter, moved to Israel in March 2022 from his home region of Udon Thani, an agricultural area in northeast Thailand.
There are around 30,000 Thais working in Israel, many in the agricultural sector from Thailand’s poor rural northeast seeking to benefit from higher wages.
Many Thai families are now enduring a painful wait for news of missing relatives. — AFP
