Isreal-Gaza War: Government Report 12 Thais Killed

Post created on 11:46 am

On Monday the death of twelve Thais have been reported by the kingdom government as the fight between Israel and Hamas militants intensifies, while preparations are ongoing to evacuate citizens.

The death of the victims was reported to the Thai embassy by their employers according to Kanchana Patarachoke, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.

Patarachoke also said eight Thais had been wounded and 11 taken into captivity since the war started on Saturday when Hamas launched an attack.

The number of Thai citizens working in Israel is about thirty thousand, according to Bangkok’s labour ministry, with a majority of Thai workers in the agricultural sector.

Labour minister,  Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn speaking on Thai television said Israeli forces had begun to move workers away from danger zones.

“There are 1,099 who have registered to return home.”

“We have about 5,000 labourers working in the fighting zone,” he said.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kanchana said Thai air force planes were on standby to fly citizens home, though the date and other details of any evacuation were still being worked on.

More than 1,100 people have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Gaza, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of a “long and difficult” fight ahead.

[AFP/SA]