Three more Thai workers were confirmed to have been taken hostage during the Hamas attack on Israel, raising the total to 22, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Monday.
Mr Srettha said the Foreign Ministry had confirmation of the three additionalabductions.
He was answering reporters’ questions at Wing 23 air terminal at the Udon Thani airport, before departing for .
The prime minister said the situation in Israel had deteriorated.Israel’s retaliatory ground offensive had begun, making it more difficult for people to travel in the conflict area. Thai workers who were still in Israel should quickly contact Thai authorities and register for evacuation, before the situation turns worse.
Thai officials were engaged in talks for the release of the Thai hostages.The armed forces supreme commander had been in Malaysia as part of this process, Mr Srettha said.
Asked whether Thai workers had been targeted by Hamas, Mr Srettha said he did not think so because Thailand was not involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“We are not a target of any group. We are more like victims of the war. We have been more affected because there are more workers from Thailand in Israel than from other counties,” Mr Srettha said.”So I have tried calling on Thai workers to quickly return homebecause in this situation travel has become more and more difficult.”Today I will talk to Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, and get an update of the situation. More people may have to leave, for negotiations,” he added.Asked about Thais who may have been stranded near the Gaza Strip, Mr Srettha admitted some were still listed as missing. “We are assessing the situation. But, with the ground offensive, communications are out, making it more difficult,” he said.
Asked about a cabinet minister preparing to go to the Middle East to get hostages released, Mr Srettha said the government was doing everything it could to achieve this goal.