A total of 3,329 Thai workers and students have now been flown back to Thailand from Israel, including 367 who arrived yesterday (Sunday) on two flights, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry.

Another 515 Thai evacuees are due back today on two more flights, with the first, from Dubai, expected to touch down at Suvarnabhumi international airport at about 4pm with 280 passengers on board. The second flight, from Tel Aviv, is expected to land at about 11pm carrying 235 passengers.

The second set of the remains of Thais killed in the fighting in Israel are scheduled to arrive in Bangkok this Wednesday. The first eight sets of remains were flown back from Israel last week.  Altogether 31 Thais were killed, 18 injured and 19 abducted by Hamas.

More than 8,000 have registered to be repatriated.

One of the returnees, Nitat Panthasri, knelt on the tarmac of Don Mueang airport upon his arrival yesterday, to pay respects to the guardian of the kingdom for his safe return.

He said he managed to escape from Hamas gunmen when they attacked his worker camp.