BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Monday morning, November 27, thanked Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for helping negotiate for the release of a dozen Thai hostages. Recently, 17 Thai hostages have been released, leaving 15 people still being held by Hamas.
The PM also flew to Kuala Lumpur to meet with Anwar to discuss various matters today, including asking for continued help for the left Thai hostages. He added that there’s only 24 hours of truce left, and he will try to get the remanding Thai hostages released within that period.
According the Associated Press report, the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was back on track Sunday as the militants freed 17 more hostages, including 14 Israelis and the first American, in a third exchange under a four-day truce that the United States said it hoped would be extended. In turn, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners.
Three more Thai nationals were released. Separately, Hamas said it released a Russian hostage “in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
The three Thai nationals were undergoing health checks at a medical center in Israel and brought the total number of Thai hostages released to 17, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said. Thais working in Israel are mostly employed as semi-skilled farm laborers, at wages considerably higher than those at they can earn at home.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued congratulatory statement on the third release of a third group of another three Thais.
The group is now at the designated medical center where the Royal Thai Embassy officials are on hand to contact their families. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warmly congratulates the recently released hostages and their families and thanks all parties involved in the efforts towards this latest release.
“For the remaining 15 Thai hostages, the Royal Thai Government continues to exert all efforts towards their safe release at the earliest opportunity, while preparing to bring back the now 17 Thais who have already been released, back to Thailand after their preliminary checks as soon as possible,” it stated.
According to Chakkraphong Saengmanee, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Panpree Phitthanukorn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, will travel with Air Marshal Wachira Ruengrit, Director of Military Intelligence, Royal Thai Armed Forces, to Israel on November 28.
They will bring Thai people back to Thailand within 2–3 days. It has already scheduled a commercial flight to pick them up. In terms of benefits, the Ministry of Labour will serve as the coordinator.
Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who played a role in negotiating with Muslim countries to release Thai hostages, praised all countries that assisted, including Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and others. Several organisations are represented. The hostage release was, therefore, a success.
“I am relieved that the hostages who were released are in good health,” he stated, adding that “they say Hamas looked after them well when they were captured.” Hamas is thought to have kept its promises.”
The Speaker also stated that the remaining 15–16 captives would be released within the next several days. Thailand is not for everyone; we are welcoming on all sides. As a result, Thai hostages would very certainly be freed as quickly as possible, within the early months of December.
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