Thai worker ‘hid in Israeli chilli plantation for 10 hours’ before rescue
A worker from Buri Ram has recounted how he hid in a chilli plantation for 10 hours as Hamas militants raided two Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Pramool Kosasod, 37, recounted his ordeal to his wife, Kitiya Dasri, 30, in a video call he made at 7pm on Monday to tell her that he had managed to escape the attack.
His wife then spoke to Thai media about the details of the phone call.
According to Kitiya, Pramool and 12 other Thai workers were in their camp when they heard someone bashing on the door as if trying to break in.
The camp's caretaker told the workers not to open the door. They then heard sounds of gunfire outside and took cover.
Pramool told his wife that the gunshots continued until a fire broke out in the camp, sending workers running for their lives.
Most of the 13 Thais trapped in the dorm jumped out of windows and ran in different directions.
Pramool ran for cover in a chili plantation located next to the camp. He remained in hiding there from 7am to 5pm, when Israeli troops eventually arrived to secure the camp.
The troops then transported the Thai workers to a safe place.
Pramool told his wife he felt unsafe in Israel and wanted to return to Thailand.
Kitiya said her husband has worked packing vegetables in Israel since January last year.
She urged the Thai government to speed up evacuations so that her husband and other Thai workers could return home.
On Tuesday, the Thai death toll in the conflict rose to 18. The government announced the first batch of 15 Thai workers would arrive back on a repatriation flight on Thursday.
