Thailand prepares to send workers back to Israel post-conflict
Thailand’s Labour Ministry has expressed readiness to send its workers back to Israel once the tensions between Israel and Hamas ease. The statement came from Pairote Chotikasathien, the permanent secretary of the ministry.
This came after Kittana Srisuriya, a minister counsellor at the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv, held discussions with Eyal Sisu, the director-general of the Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA), and Inbal Mashash, director of the Foreign Workers Administration. The talks focused on the welfare of two sets of Thai workers who were significantly affected by the ongoing war.
One set encompasses Thai workers who recently completed their five-year and three-month contracts that had to be terminated prematurely due to the war. It also includes those who had returned to Thailand three to four years prior.
These individuals will be granted permission to resume their work in Israel under conditions that will be discussed later by the PIBA and Thai Labour Ministry, Pairote noted.
The second set consists of Thai workers who are currently in Israel without valid visas and have contracts that are yet to be completed. For these individuals, PIBA will extend their visas until November of the following year, he added.
This also includes Thai workers whose contracts are set to end soon, but not later than April of the next year. Their visas will be extended for an additional year, reported Bangkok Post.
Israel’s economic growth
Pairote highlighted that Israel values the contribution of foreign workers, particularly those from Thailand who play a vital role in the agricultural sector and significantly contribute to Israel’s economic growth.
“The Labour Ministry is working in close liaison with Israeli authorities to ensure Thai workers can return to work in Israel once the situation stabilises.
In a related development, the bodies of the initial eight Thai workers, who lost their lives in a Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, were flown back home on a commercial flight yesterday. They were then transferred to their respective home provinces.
El Al Flight LY083 from Israel, ferrying the bodies, touched down at Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 9.33am. The deceased hailed from various provinces including Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum, Si Sa Ket and Sukhothai.
Pairote said that the Labour Ministry would initially offer 40,000 baht to each family to cover funeral expenses.
A mourning ceremony was held at Suvarnabhumi Airport, with Orna Sagiv, the ambassador of Israel to Thailand, laying a wreath on the coffins of the Thai workers who tragically died in Israel. Each coffin was then transported to the respective home provinces.
