3-2-2025 (BANGKOK) Five Thai nationals, recently released from Hamas captivity, have shared their extraordinary stories of resilience and unwavering hope during their harrowing ordeal in Gaza, describing their freedom as “being reborn”.
Speaking from a Tel Aviv hospital where they are receiving medical care, Pongsak Tanna, one of the freed hostages, savoured his first proper Thai meal in months – a combination of grilled chicken and papaya salad that brought tears to his eyes.
“We survived on a basic diet of bread, cheese and beans,” Pongsak told reporters, his voice trembling with emotion. “Today, I feel as though I’ve been given a second chance at life.”
For Pongsak, the thought of reuniting with his teenage daughter, whom he hadn’t seen since she was seven, served as his beacon of hope during the darkest moments of captivity.
His fellow captive, Bannawat Saethao, described the relief of freedom as “an immense weight lifted”. Despite the gruelling conditions, he noted that their captors maintained a level of basic humanity. “They assured us we wouldn’t be harmed and showed concern about whether we could eat their food,” he revealed.
The men were held in sparse, dimly lit rectangular rooms, with only minimal natural light filtering through a small window. Bathing was restricted to once every four or five days, and they were completely cut off from the outside world, never glimpsing the night sky throughout their captivity.
Watchara Sriuan and Surasak Lamnao shared similar accounts of mental fortitude. Surasak, who is single, found an unexpected silver lining in his situation: “Having no wife or children helped me cope with the uncertainty,” he reflected.
The fifth hostage, Sathian Suwannakham, emphasised how the group’s mutual support proved crucial to their survival. When asked about their first meal requests upon release, both Sathian and another hostage smiled, longing for traditional Thai dishes like larb and tom saep.
