Two Thai workers, both from Nakhon Phanom province, died this month in Israel and their relatives will be liable to compensation and other benefits according to the law, Labour Minister Adul Saengsingkaew said on Friday.

Nathachai Pongsao, 32, died from the sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome  on Aug 3. He was a native of Si Sa Ket province but moved to live with his wife in Tha Uthen district of Nakhon Phanom. He started working in Israel in the agricultural sector in 2015.

Pornchi Promchan, 43, from Muang district of Nakhon Phanom,  died on Aug 5. He started working in an animal farm in Israel in 2013. On the morning of Aug 5, he did not show up for work. A friend of him went to wake him up, but found he was already dead. The cause of his death was not known, but it was believed he died in his sleep.

The labour minister expressed condolences to their relatives.

Mr Apichart Wongkalasin, chief of the Nakhon Phanom employment office, said Nathachai’s relatives will initially get 95,000 baht in last monthly pay plus  a compensation of  40,000 baht from the welfare fund for overseas workers of the Labour Ministry, and 10,176 baht from the social security fund.  His travel health insurance pay will be used for the cost of transporting the body to his home in Thailand.

Pornchai’s relatives will get 190,000 baht in last monthly pay plus a compensation of 40,000 baht from the welfare fund for overseas workers.