Most Thai workers returning from Israel are happy to be back home with their loved ones, but some are worried about how and where they can make money to repay the loans they took out from banks or private lenders to pay for their expenses to work in Israel.
The loans range from 100,000 to 400,000 baht, including air fares, brokerage fees for employment agencies, medical check-up bills and personal expenses. The salaries are, however, attractive.
One of the returnees, Wiset Posai, a native of Mukdahan province, said that he borrowed about 100,000 baht from a bank in order to work in Israel and he has already repaid 20,000 baht, leaving the balance which he has no idea how he is going to repay.
He said he and other Thai workers had lived in constant fear after the Hamas attacks over a week ago, because the farm on which they worked was close to Gaza.
He said he would not, however, return to Israel to work again, even if the conflict dies down.
Another worker, Chaiya Boonsung, said he took out a 300,000 baht informal loan from a private lender and borrowed 100,000 baht from a relative to fund his travel to Israel.
He said he earned about 50,000 baht a month picking fruit and vegetables on a farm, but he had monthly expenses of about 10,000 baht, including accommodation and utilities fees, tax and monthly payments for an electric motorcycle, with the rest of his salary being sent home to repay the debt and for his family.
After having worked in Israel for 14 months, Chaiya says that his informal debt has not yet been settled and, while he is back home safely, he does not know what to do to earn enough for the family and to repay the debt.
The Ministry of Labour has four methods to help the returning workers. These include finding new jobs for them, skills training to enable them to switch to other jobs, compensation and taking care of the unpaid salaries.
