PM reiterates that 18, not 54 Thais being held by Hamas

In this picture taken on October 13, Kanyarat Suriyasri, the wife of Thai worker Owat Suriyasri who is being held hostage by Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, shows a picture of him and their two children during an interview with AFP in Kantharlak in Si Sa Ket province.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin refuted a report today (Friday), which claimed that 54 Thai nationals are among the 220 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

“I have checked and verified the situation with our Thai ambassador in Israel, as well as with security agencies, and they confirm that 18 Thais are being held. The number of 54 may be the result of some sort of confusion,” he said.

Reuters news agency quoted the Israeli government yesterday as saying the number is 54.

Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke revealed that the current Thai death toll is 33, 18 injured and…