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BURIRAM, Thailand: As a farmhand working in Israel, Thai national Pongsak Tanna would often livestream while working.
But on Oct 7 last year, instead of filming himself, he called his father back home in Thailand’s northeastern Buriram province.
“My son video-called me to show me that there was a war going on, and there were firing and bombings,” said Wilas Tanna, whose son is among six Thais believed to be still held captive by Hamas a year after the Palestinian militant group’s attack on Israel.
“He was shouting, ‘Hide, hide, hide from the bomb first. There are more coming. We must hide first.’ He was saying something like that for about 10 minutes during the video call on Oct 7. After that, the signal was cut.”
That was the last contact Wilas would have with his son.
That day, Pongsak was among at least 32 Thai nationals captured by Hamas gunmen and brought to Gaza.
Last week, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and requested support for the release of the remaining Thai hostages, according to a government statement. The Thai government had earlier gone through intermediaries such as Qatar and Iran to secure the release of 23 hostages in November.
During Hamas’ attack on Oct 7, 39 Thais were killed. The footage of their bodies being repatriated to Thailand shocked the Southeast Asian nation.
The episode was also a reminder of Israel’s reliance on Thai labourers. Before the attack, an estimated 30,000 Thais were working in Israel.
In the aftermath, there was a brief exodus of workers. The Thai government evacuated around 12,000 Thais who chose to forgo the high wages for the security at home.
However, about 600 Thais returned to work in Israel again earlier this year despite the ongoing war.
Earlier this year, Thai Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn visited Israel to push for higher quotas of migrant workers from Thailand.
Most of the migrant workers come from rural areas such as Buriram province.
In Israel, they work as farmhands and gardeners and can earn up to US$1,800 a month.
In its press briefing last week, the Thai Foreign Ministry did not provide any new updates on the remaining hostages but reiterated its continued efforts to bring them home.
“I would like to underline that the Thai government will continue to exert all possible efforts to advocate for our remaining Thai hostages in Gaza,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura.
“We continue to be in touch with key players in the region to discuss and seek their good auspices towards the release of Thai hostages. That is also the reason why we continue to call for a return to negotiations and an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, including Thai nationals in Gaza.”
Wilas told CNA that Thai officials initially checked in on his missing son, and paid the family a compensation of about US$750.
Since then, he has heard little news, despite repeated and costly follow-ups.
“There were dozens of times that I had to revise the documents (for legal proof) and they were being sent back and forth,” said Wilas, who has spent more than 7,000 baht (US$212) on legal fees alone.
“I have made so many trips and I had to rent a car to go to the Provincial Labour Office in Buriram, which cost me 1,200 baht every time, to submit the documents. These are all costs and I didn’t have enough (to cover them), so I had to borrow.”
Yet, his biggest wish is for his son to return alive.
“If my son is alive, whenever Israel can get the hostages released, I want (him) to come home quickly to (his) hometown,” he said.
“Most importantly, I want my son to be ordained (as a Buddhist monk) for his mum who died when he was away,” he said, as he wiped away a tear.
Thais believe a religious ceremony will cleanse the soul from evil after a horrific ordeal.
“This is the deepest desire in my life,” said Wilas. “If he comes back, I will host the ordination ceremony.”
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