Netizens applaud heroine Wiphawadee for rescuing nearly 100 Thais stranded in Israel war zones
Nongbua Lamphu native, Wiphawadee “Jaem” Vannachai, 40, became an overnight sensation on social media after a clip recording her heroic efforts to rescue Thai workers from Israeli war zones went viral.
TikTok user “daphan383” posted a clip on Monday, in which a dashboard camera captured Wiphawadee driving a truck through Israeli military checkpoints to pick up Thai workers stranded in the conflict zone near the Gaza Strip.
The heroic woman, who is also known as “Sister Jaem”, and a younger colleague were seen driving past several Israeli tanks and war-ravaged neighbourhoods to pick up Thai workers from camps near the war zone and drop them off in bomb shelters.
She was reportedly working in Israel when war broke out on October 7. Approximately 30,000 Thais are believed to be working in Israel, mostly in the agriculture sector, with some 5,000 living near the conflict zone.
The TikTok user who posted the clip said Wiphawadee had helped 32 Thais on Saturday, when the video clip was made, and then picked up another 60 Thais over the next few days. Wiphawadee also dropped the wounded off in hospitals.
On Tuesday, Facebook user Rutda Phanlomso posted a clip of Wiphawadee arriving at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday.
The Facebook user said immediately after landing on Thai soil, Wiphawadee contacted Thai officials to provide them with the latest updates on Thais stranded in Israel and neighbouring Lebanon due to the war.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Sunday that the government has readied 32 flights to bring back some 5,700 Thai workers from Israel within this month. However, 7,500 Thais have registered with the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv to return home. The government expects the number of those wanting to return to rise as the conflict is worsening.
As of Tuesday, the death toll of Thais in the Hamas-Israel war stood at 29.
