Five citizens of Thailand who were held captive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza for more than a year have returned home after being released last month. Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Sarusak Rumnao and Bannawat Saethao were warmly embraced by their families upon their arrival at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport on Sunday morning.
Pongsak, 36, expressed his gratitude, stating, “We are deeply moved to be back in our homeland… standing here today. We are truly thankful.” Bannawat’s father, Somboon Saethao, shared his happiness and mentioned that his family would welcome his son back with a traditional Thai ceremony.
“I don’t want him to be far from home again,” Somboon said from Nan province in northern Thailand to the AFP news agency. The five men were released in Khan Younis in southern Gaza last month as part of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel that halted the 15-month Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, who accompanied the captives back from Israel, expressed relief at their return. “This is an emotional moment… to see them reunited with their families. We never lost hope, and this is the outcome of that determination.”
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her joy at the men’s release and thanked Israel, as well as Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Turkiye, and the United States for their efforts in securing their freedom. According to government officials, all five men are in good physical health and will be monitored by the government over the next few months to ensure they can resume their normal lives.
Speaking from Udon Thani in northeast Thailand, where two of the returnees’ families reside, Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng reported that the families were eagerly anticipating their loved ones’ return. He mentioned that Sriaoun’s family kept their faith during the ordeal and were eager to welcome him back.
A total of 31 Thai nationals were captured during the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, with 23 of them being released in 2023 and two individuals sadly passing away last year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand stated that one Thai national is still believed to be held captive by Hamas.
“We remain hopeful and are continuing our efforts to bring them back,” Maris stated regarding the remaining captive and the deceased Thai nationals. Prior to the Gaza conflict, around 30,000 Thai laborers worked in Israel’s agriculture sector, making them one of the largest migrant worker groups in the country. Nearly 9,000 Thai workers have been repatriated since the beginning of the conflict. These workers mainly come from Thailand’s impoverished northeastern region, which comprises villages and farming communities.
