Srettha slams Israeli employers for forcing Thais to work under war conditions
The number of Thais killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict has risen to 29, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said.
Srettha revealed the numbers before boarding a flight to Beijing on Monday. The premier is scheduled to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The premier said the latest reports indicate that the situation in Israel has not improved at all, and is actually becoming more critical.
When asked if there were any positive signs in securing the hostages’ release, Srettha said: “There haven’t been any as of yet, but efforts are ongoing. There are moves in the right direction, but detainees have not been released.”
He also said that six workers who have registered to return to Thailand are currently unable to reach the airport. The Thai embassy in Tel Aviv is finding it difficult to contact them, and it is believed they may be stranded in a high-risk area.
The premier added that the Foreign Ministry will meet to discuss measures today and should have a report ready for him by the time he arrives in Beijing.
Srettha has instructed relevant agencies to make every effort to arrange additional flights and evacuate as many Thais from Israel as possible.
As for reports that some Israeli employers are still forcing their employees to go to the field for work despite the constant bombardments, Srettha said such situations are unacceptable. He said he has spoken to the Israeli ambassador in Bangkok and instructed her to ensure nobody is sent to work in fields as this is a matter of life and death. He said the government was closely monitoring and addressing this issue.
