Parnpree asks Red Cross to help free last 8 Thai hostages held by Hamas

Parnpree held talks with ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2024 in Davos, Switzerland.

The two men expressed support for calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas so that humanitarian aid could be delivered in the Gaza Strip warzone.

Parnpree also asked the ICRC president to help negotiate with Hamas to secure the release of the eight remaining Thai hostages as soon as possible.

Hamas militants captured 31 Thai workers along with other nationals during their attack on Israeli border areas on October 7 last year.

The group has freed 23 Thai hostages after a temporary truce with Israel came into effect on November 24.

On bilateral cooperation, Parnpree told Egger that Thailand would allow the ICRC to open a regional office in Thailand to provide humanitarian aid in neighbouring countries, especially Myanmar, where a civil war is raging.

Parnpree also told the ICRC president that Thailand was willing to support this year’s ASEAN chair, Laos, in its push for peace talks in Myanmar.

The conflict between Myanmar’s military regime and a nationwide armed resistance threatens to trigger a refugee crisis on the Thai border, where camps already hold tens of thousands of Myanmar people.

Following his talk with the ICRC president, Parnpree took part in WEF 2024’s Diplomacy Dialogue on Myanmar.

Parnpree assured dialogue participants that Thailand was playing a constructive role in seeking peace in Myanmar with support from other regional countries.

ASEAN’s peace plan for Myanmar, known as the Five-Point Consensus, has made little if any progress in bringing an end to the turmoil and violence that have engulfed the country since the military staged a coup to oust the elected government.

Parnpree also emphasised that all stakeholders in Myanmar must join talks for a peaceful solution.

He added that Thailand was now holding talks with the military regime aimed at boosting humanitarian aid for Myanmar people who have been affected by fierce fighting along the border.