Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said this morning (Sunday) that the Thai government is trying to verify a report that a Thai national was killed in the Hamas attacks on Israel on yesterday.
Srettha said another 11 Thais are also reported to have been kidnapped.
“We have received an unconfirmed report that a Thai worker was killed,” he told reporters.
Srettha posted a message on the X social media platform yesterday, condemning as “inhumane” the attacks by the Hamas militant group on Israel.
Pictures, purportedly showing a group of people said to have been kidnapped by the Palestine militants, have gone viral on social media. At least one of the group was identified by his family as being among the Thais reported missing.
Labour Affairs Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn has confirmed that one Thai was wounded, while at least two others have been kidnapped.
He said labour affairs officials are in contact with their families, to offer moral support and to assure them of government assistance.
Pipat said there are currently 29,900 Thais working in Israel. The Thai Foreign Ministry said there are about 5,000 Thai nationals working in the Gaza Strip, where the heavy fighting has been taking place.
The Thai Government, meanwhile, said it is deeply concerned about the safety of Thai nationals working in Israel.
In a statement issued on Saturday, it expressed “our deepest condolences to the government and people of Israel on the unfortunate loss of lives and injuries caused by this this inhumane and indiscriminate act.”
It also said Thailand has called upon all parties involved to refrain from any actions which could further escalate tensions and joins the international community in condemning any use of violence and indiscriminate attacks.
