All those involved in Thailand and in the Middle East are working tirelessly to help free Thais held hostage by Hamas in Gaza and the latest information is quite optimistic, Areepen Utarasint, one of Thai negotiators, said in a press conference on Wednesday.
He is an advisor to the negotiation team, set up by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, a senior Muslim cleric in Thailand. He and his team were assigned to go to Iran by Wan Muhamad, because of the country’s three-century-old relationship with Thailand.
Moreover, Wan Muhamad has had strong ties with Iranian leaders since 1998, after he assisted in getting justice for one of their nationals, who was arrested in Thailand on terrorism related charges. The case was ultimately dismissed by the Thai Supreme Court, Areepen said.
“We went to Iran on October 26 and met with representatives of Hamas. During the two-hour meeting, we informed them that Thai nationals should be freed because they are not involved in the conflict,” he said.
His team was informed that the Thais are being well treated and are safe, “but Hamas are concerned that they could be impacted by the Israeli bombardment if they were to be released at the moment,” he said.
The Hamas representatives said that they are waiting for the right moment to release the Thais, so they can return home to their families.
Areepen said he heard the promises himself, they are not hearsay. “Judging from their words and expressions, I have confidence that the Thais will be safe,” he added.
He and his team also met with senior Iranian figures, who promised to help Thailand secure the freedom of its citizens. If the Thais are released and travel to Iran, Wan Muhamad will fly there to receive them and to thank the senior Iranian officials for their help.
Speaking at the same press conference, Muk Sulaiman, who is the Speaker’s secretary, said “We are ensured that they are safe and will be released soon. We respect the promises given to us during the meeting.”
