Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has, again, pleaded with Thai workers still in Israel to return to Thailand as soon as possible, warning them that the war between Israeli forces and Hamas is escalating, which may make future evacuation more difficult and riskier.

He also urged their families to convince them to return home quickly.

Those who want to do so can contact the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv or travel directly to a hotel in Tel Aviv, which is serving as a temporary shelter for Thais who have applied to be evacuated, he said on Saturday.

The main reasons Thai workers are reluctant to leave Israel are the attractive pay, despite the risk, and the fact that most of them are in debt and are still required to repay their debts to banks or private money lenders.

Meanwhile, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said today (Saturday) that a total of 8,478 Thais have registered to return home and 6,448 of them have been repatriated in 36 flights so far.  1,189 of the returnees have also applied to return to Israel to work.

He disclosed that 865 returnees, including the families of four killed in Israel, have received compensation from the Fund to Assist Thais Working Abroad, totalling about 13 million baht.

The compensation ranges from 40,000 baht each to families of dead and 30,000 baht each for the disabled to 15,000 baht for each of the remaining returnees.