The bodies of the first eight Thai workers who died in Israel since the Hamas attack on Oct 7 were repatriated on a commercial flight on Friday morning. They were subsequently transported to their respective home provinces.
El Al Flight LY083 from Israel, carrying the bodies of the eight verified Thai men, landed at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province at 9:33 am.
Coffins containing the deceased were placed in front of the Free Zone of the Customs Office inside the airport for a mourning ceremony.
Coffins carrying the bodies of the eight deceased workers arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
The coffins were then transported in vans provided by Suriya, a funeral services company. Two bodies were destined for Udon Thani and one each for Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum, Si Sa Ket and Sukhothai.
A mourning ceremony for the eight Thai workers who died in Israel was held at Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday. (Photo: FM91 Traffipro)
Pairote Chotikasathien, the permanent secretary for labour, said on Friday that labour officials in these provinces would visit the families of the dead workers and inform them about the death benefits.
The Labour Ministry would initially pay 40,000 baht to each family for the funeral expenses, he said. The ministry would further collaborate with the Israeli authorities to obtain the death benefits for each family. The wives of the deceased would also receive a monthly pay of 40,000 baht until remarriage, and each of their children would be paid 8,000 to 12,000 baht a month until they turn 18 years old.
Mr Pairote said the Labour Ministry had sent about 4,000 sets of drinking water and dried food to the stranded Thai workers in Israel. The ministry would try to repatriate both legal and illegal Thai workers from Israel as soon as possible, he added.
Another group of 136 Thais arrive home after boarding an air force fight from Israel on Friday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
As for workers who were reportedly forced to continue working by their employers despite the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the labour attaché in Israel had been instructed to intervene, as this is against the law, Mr Pairote said.
On Thursday at 3.30pm (Israel time), a ceremony was held at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv to send off the eight bodies to Thailand.
Representing the Thai side at the ceremony were Pannabha Chandraramya, the Thai ambassador to Israel, Naruchai Ninnart, deputy director-general of the Consular Affairs Department and the labour attaché at the Thai embassy in Israel.
High-level Israel officials attending the ceremony included Michael Ronen, director-general of the Department of Asia and the Pacific, and Inbal Mashash, head of the Foreign Workers Administration.
Another group of 136 Thais arrive home after boarding an air force fight from Israel on Friday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)