PM reiterates his plea for Thais in Israel to return home as war escalates

A picture taken from Israel’s southern city of Ashkelon shows rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on October 28, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. //AFP

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has, again, pleaded with Thai workers still in Israel to return to Thailand as soon as possible, warning them that the war between Israeli forces and Hamas is escalating, which may make future evacuation more difficult and riskier.

He also urged their families to convince them to return home quickly.

Those who want to do so can contact the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv or travel directly to a hotel in Tel Aviv, which is serving as a temporary shelter for Thais who have applied to be evacuated, he said on Saturday.

The main reasons Thai workers are reluctant to leave Israel are the attractive pay, despite the risk, and the fact that most of them are in debt and are…