15-10-2023 (BANGKOK) In a bid to expedite the repatriation of its citizens from the conflict-ridden region, Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has announced the government’s efforts to secure overflight permissions from more than ten countries. This move is aimed at reducing the timeline for repatriation flights from Israel, initially expected to take ten days, to a mere two days, as revealed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Saturday.
The situation in Israel has intensified, with an estimated 7,000 Thai workers expressing their desire to leave the war-torn area. Thailand’s commitment to bringing back its citizens from Israel is among the most substantial efforts worldwide.
Approximately two dozen countries are currently engaged in the process of repatriating their nationals from Israel, employing a combination of military aircraft and commercial airlines. However, the success of these repatriation efforts varies.
Over the weekend, at least two countries canceled their planned repatriation flights. They cited increased risks to airlines due to Israeli preparations for a ground assault on Gaza.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has expressed his anticipation of receiving further updates on evacuation operations during a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health disclosed that, among the 56 Thai individuals who returned on the second flight from Israel, two required additional medical care for gunshot wounds. Additionally, eight people were found to be suffering from varying degrees of mental trauma, necessitating extra care before they can be reunited with their families.
The two injured workers, a 38-year-old man from Nakhon Phanom and a 26-year-old man from Khon Kaen, both sustained gunshot wounds. They were treated at Bang Phli Hospital and subsequently discharged, as their conditions were not deemed critical.
Since the onset of the Hamas assault in Israel last weekend, twenty-four Thai individuals have tragically lost their lives, with sixteen sustaining injuries and another sixteen being held hostage.
The upcoming repatriation flight is scheduled to land at U-tapao Airport on Sunday at 7.25 am. Medical and mental health teams will be on standby in case of any urgent needs. Subsequently, the passengers will be transported to the SC Park Hotel in Bangkok, where their eagerly waiting families will welcome them.
A fourth repatriation flight, set to be operated by the air force, will depart from Tel Aviv on Sunday at 1 pm (Israel time) and is expected to arrive at the Royal Thai Air Force Wing 6 on Monday at 4.40 am.
In the province of Nakhon Phanom, relatives of Thai workers in Israel who could not be contacted have sought assistance from the provincial labour office. Out of the 2,100 Thais from the northeastern province working in Israel, approximately 330 are in high-risk areas, with five individuals still uncontactable.
In a related development, Australia canceled two planned repatriation flights on Saturday due to the rapidly evolving and challenging situation in the region. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade emphasized its commitment to assisting citizens in the area in returning home and pledged to communicate about future flights.
Swiss International Air Lines also announced the suspension of its repatriation flights until further notice on Friday, citing the expected Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The carrier canceled two special flights from Tel Aviv to Zurich scheduled for Saturday, as they expressed concerns about the escalating conflict’s impact on the safety of flights with their crews and passengers.
