The five captives were released last month in Khan Younis in southern Gaza as part of a cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
Five Thai nationals detained in captivity in Gaza for more than a year returned home after being released last month.
Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Sarusak Rumnao and Bannawat Saethao were embraced by their family after landing at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport on Sunday morning.
“We are all deeply touched to return to our place of birth … to stand here,” said Pongsak, 36. “I don’t know what to say else, we are all really grateful.”
Bannawat’s father, Somboon Saethao, said that he was “so happy” and that his family would welcome his son at home with a traditional Thai ceremony.
“I don’t think I want him to be far from my home again,” said Somboon, who comes from Nan province in northern Thailand, to the AFP news agency.
The five men were released last month in Khan Younis in southern Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel, which interrupted the 15-month-old Israeli attacks against Gaza.
Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiamponga, who escorted the captives of Israel, expressed his relief on their return. “It’s emotional … to come back to the embrace of their families,” he said. “We never gave up and it was the fruit of that.”
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she was “delighted” that they were in captivity and thanked Israel, as well as Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Turkiye and the United States for their work to Guarantee the release of men.
Reporting Udon Thani in northeast Thailand where two of the families of returnees live, Tony Cheng of Tel Aviv Tribune, citing government representatives, the five were physically healthy. He said the government would watch them in the coming months to make sure they are able to return to their normal life.
“We spoke to the Sriaoun family (one of the captives), and they are incredibly excited to welcome them at home,” said Cheng.
“Her mother said that throughout this period, she kept her faith in God. She said she was rather frustrated because there had been very little communication from the Thai government or the Israeli government during their captivity, “he said.
“We also talked to her nine -year -old daughter, and she said everything she wanted to do was hug her father.”
In total, 31 Thai nationals were caught in captivity during the attack led by Hamas against Israel in October 2023, including 23 released in 2023, while two people died in May from last year.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand said that a Thai national would still be detained in Gaza.
“We always have hope and continue to work to bring them back,” said Maris, speaking of the remaining captive and the bodies of two deceased Thai nationals.
Before the start of the war, around 30,000 Thai workers worked in the agricultural sector of Israel, making it one of the largest groups of migrant workers in the country. Nearly 9,000 Thai have been repatriated since the start of the war.
The workers come mainly from the northeast region of Thailand, an area including villages and agricultural communities which is among the poorest in the country.
