Thai and Israeli officials repatriate bodies of Thai workers lost in conflict
Today, a joint Thai and Israeli ceremony was held at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, to repatriate the bodies of 11 Thai workers who lost their lives in the Israel conflict. The solemn event, attended by diplomatic officials from both nations, underscored the close ties between Thailand and Israel as they mourned the loss together.
Thai officials present at the ceremony included Pannapa Chantraram, the Thai ambassador to Tel Aviv; Nutruechai Ninnad, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs; Sakdinat Sonthisakyothin, Inspector of the Social Security Office; and Kitthana Srisuriya, Labour Counsellor. Together, they paid their respects and oversaw the repatriation of the 11 deceased Thai nationals.
On the Israeli side, representatives included Michelle Weiller-Tal, Head of the Southeast Asia Department; Josie Reshef-Mor, Head of the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Israel; and Marie Sindani, the Manager of the State Relations Department.
They were joined by the daughter of Pitak Tholeng, one of the deceased Thai workers, who helped lay wreaths in honour of the dead. Expressing their condolences, Weiller-Tal called the tragedy a shared experience that demonstrated the strong bond between Thailand and Israel and assured that the Israeli government was happy to assist the Thai embassy in their mission, reported KhaoSod.
Ambassador Pannapa thanked everyone who attended the ceremony to bid farewell to the 11 deceased workers, who were all hardworking individuals seeking to support their families back home. She expressed hope that Thailand would not have to face such tragedy again.
The bodies of the deceased were flown back to Thailand on an El Al Israel Airlines flight, LY 083, departing Tel Aviv at 8pm and arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport at approximately 12.40pm, today, November 1.
The departed included Jakraphong Chantrarasena, Satavat Piy-ear, Pitak Tholeng, Wuttiphat Wisetsadon Huai, Charoen Chatdamdee, Somkhuan Phansa-ard, Prinya Taemklang, Nuntavat Pinchai, Tu Sae-lee, Buncha Dutthuyawat, and Meechai Rittipon.
This was the third such repatriation ceremony held by the embassy, which had previously sent home 15 bodies in two separate instances on October 20 and October 26, respectively.
