Three years ago this month, Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people. Thais paid a heavier price than any other foreign nationality.
About 39 Thai workers died in fields and kibbutzim along the Gaza border. Moreover, 31 were taken hostage, of whom 28 survived and returned home.
Israel's military response has been brutal. Since the attack, it has flattened much of Gaza. At least 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of them women and children, and more than 175,000 have been injured.
Unfathomable suffering among the survivors continues.
For Thailand, this anniversary should be a moment of deep soul-searching.
Well, that has not been the case. Three years have elapsed, yet Bangkok still has no Israel strategy.
All relevant ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Labour, Interior and Tourism, have yet to work in tandem to ensure that the broader ecosystem of Thai-Israeli relations is balanced and serves mutual interests.
For both countries, the stakes are enormous. At present, about 70,000 Thais work in Israel, mostly on farms and kibbutzim, many within rocket range.
Their remittances support thousands of families in Thailand's northeast.
At the other end, a total of 31,872 Israelis lived in Thailand as of March 10 this year.
They live in Phuket, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, as well as in northern mountain towns such as Pai, among other places.
Due to their collective behaviour and some instances of misconduct, they have dominated news headlines in recent weeks.
On top of this, after completing their military service, young Israelis come to Thailand for rest and recreation, making it one of their most popular overseas destinations.
Since October 7, Thailand and Israel have faced a huge dilemma because each side thinks the other has few alternatives.
After all, Thailand needs the remittances and Israel needs Thai workers.
Truth be told, despite the risks, the number of Thai workers has increased and nearly doubled from the pre-October 7 figure of 32,000.
Such a situation helps breed complacency.
During the Gaza crisis, Thai responses have been improvised as circumstances required.
When Thais were taken hostage, Bangkok's most effective channel was not any formal arrangement with Israel but a group of local Muslim leaders with connections to Iran and Hamas.
It worked, but it was not a policy.
At home, the Israeli presence has also triggered unexpected reactions in Thailand.
Residents in Pai and on Koh Phangan have complained about businesses allegedly run through Thai nominees, unlicensed accommodation and enclaves that appear to operate by their own rules. Such behaviour has upset local communities.
The authorities have responded with sporadic raids, followed by further amplification on social media.
Indeed, if this situation persists, existing resentment could turn ugly.
Thailand must address legitimate grievances without allowing them to turn into hostility towards Israelis or anyone else.
Bangkok must also weigh its wider interests.
Thailand recognised Palestine in 2012, has a Muslim-majority population in the deep South and depends on the Gulf states for energy and investment.
Given the circumstances, there are several things the Anutin government must do.
First, it needs to renegotiate the labour deal. Every Thai worker in Israel should be fully covered, with their safety guaranteed.
Most importantly, they should have the right to move away from border zones without losing their pay.
At the same time, Bangkok should diversify its overseas labour markets.
Israel has the largest number of Thai workers in the Middle East.
Furthermore, the government must enforce the law evenly at home.
Visa, property and business rules should apply to Israeli residents exactly as they do to Russians, Chinese or Europeans. No special enclaves and no selective crackdowns.
Finally, it is time to create a standing Middle East task force under the Foreign Ministry, rather than relying on an ad hoc approach. It should bring together the Labour, Interior and Tourism ministries, as well as security agencies, so that the next crisis is not handled through improvisation again.
It is important that Israel does not take Thailand for granted.
Thai goodwill was built over decades of agricultural cooperation and paid for in Thai lives on October 7.
It is not unconditional.
How Israel treats Thai workers on its kibbutzim, how Israeli visitors behave on Thai islands and how Israel conducts its war all shape Thai public opinion.
Thailand's generosity has its limits.
