Thai workers in Israel safe and receiving assistance
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Four Thai workers who were wounded as a result of fighting near the Gaza Strip in Israel on Friday are out of danger and officials from the Thai Labour Office in Tel Aviv have provided assistance to them, according to the Department of Employment director
Since Friday, Israel has killed dozens of Palestinians in air strikes on Gaza in a campaign to stop rockets and mortars from being fired against the southern part of its territory.
Four Thai agricultural labourers were wounded in an attack on Friday. One was reported by the Israeli media as being seriously injured.
Media reports said the four Thais worked on a farm in Ein Habesor City near the border with the Gaza Strip, about 100 kilometres from Tel Aviv.
Prawit said that the seriously wounded Thai worker has been identified as Mee Wongsuwan. He was hit on his right cheekbone and in the abdomen by bomb fragments However, he is now out of danger.
The three other workers were slightly injured and have returned to work as usual, he said.
Prawit said that the recruitment agency signed a contract accepting responsibility for the cost of medical treatment and that the workers could also benefit from a fund set up to help Thai workers abroad.
As for security measures, he said this was not an issue of concern, as their workplaces were not in the war zone. He explained that they had travelled out of their work site to meet friends and were accidentally wounded in the rocket attack.
There are some 20,000 Thai workers in Israel, mostly working in the agricultural sector, he said, adding that the Israeli government has agreed to accept more 5,000 Thai workers.
Meanwhile Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tohwichakchaikul said Monday he had no information as yet as to whether Thais working in Israel were living in fighting zones or not.
However if the situation there is considered dangerous, the Thai government was ready to assist the workers in all procedures including evacuation.
Surapong said he learnt from news reports that four Thai workers had been wounded in the Israeli-Palestinian fighting.
- Photo: Thai Ambassador to Israel Nuttavudh Photisaro (c) and first secretary Vanassuda Sudhidhanee visit Mee Wongsuwan, injured Thai worker in a hospital Israel.
- Photo: Thai Ambassador to Israel Nuttavudh Photisaro (c) and first secretary Vanassuda Sudhidhanee visit Mee Wongsuwan, injured Thai worker in a hospital Israel.
