BANGKOK, 24 July 2014 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating a relocation of thousands of Thai workers in Israel to a safe haven following the death of one Thai national in an artillery attack yesterday.
Mr Sek Wannamethi, Director-General of the Department of Information and Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, stated that one of the victims of Wednesday’s air strike in Israel was a Thai citizen. The dead has been identified as 36-year-old Narakorn Kittiyangkul, a resident of Pua district, Nan province. The Department of Employment is cooperating with Israeli authorities in bringing the body back home.
Following the tragedy, Mr Sek reported that the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv has requested the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Israeli employers to facilitate the relocation of around 4,000 Thai nationals working near the Israel-Gaza border to a safer place, preferably out of the 20-kilometer radius from the violence-prone zone. The employers were also urged to allow the Thai employees to suspend their work for the time being.
Thus far, no evacuation of Thais from Israel has been ordered. Nonetheless, the Thai Embassy is keeping a watchful eye on the local situation while trying to ensure safety for all citizens there.
