BANGKOK, July 24 – Israel has asked Thailand to inform all Thai workers in the Gaza Strip to leave the area for safer locations, even if some refused to do so, a Thai foreign ministry official said today.
Information Department Deputy Director-General Russ Jalichandra said that the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv has warned all Thai nationals working near the Gaza Strip since July 8 to stop going to work and to stay indoors as a safety precaution.
Mr Russ, as a foreign ministry deputy spokesman, said that the Israeli government has asked the Thai embassy to make sure that Thai workers near the Gaza Strip, some of whom have refused to move, to evacuate to safer areas as soon as possible as violence is escalating in the area.
According to the official, the Thai ministry and relevant agencies are ready to evacuate all Thais living in Israel once the situation there has become too severe, though a thorough discussion must first be carried out to determine the best course of action and that of the rights of the Thai workers, as some already expressed that they would still want to work in Israel.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv estimated that are 4,276 Thai nationals living and working in risk prone locations and has already asked them to move to safer locations.
