MFA prepared to assist Thai workers in Israel, Libya

BANGKOK, July 26 (TNA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirms that it has been prepared to assist Thai workers in war-riddled areas overseas, including those in Israel and Libya. Acting Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkeow told journalists that his ministry has coordinated with all parties concerned to relocate more than 4,000 Thai workers away from dangerous areas as soon as possible and to bring back home the body of a 36-year-old Thai worker, Narakorn Kittiyangkul, who was killed by a rocket fired from Gaza Strip on July 23. Reiterating that his ministry is concerned over the safety of Thai workers in Israel, Sihasak, who is also Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that requests have been made with Israeli employers to move the Thai workers at least 10 kilometres away from the Gaza Strip with their entitled benefits remained intact even though they have to stay away from work due to the ongoing fierce fighting between Israeli and Hamas forces in Gaza Strip. Sihasak noted that the Thai Embassy to Israel has also discussed with concerned authorities on flying the body of the dead Thai worker home as soon as possible with his family ensured to receive benefits under the Israeli law. Regarding similar violent fighting in Libya, Sihasak acknowledged that the Thai Embassy to Libya has also been prepared to take care of about 1,450 Thai workers in Tripoli and Benghazi and to evacuate them to Tunisia or other neighbouring countries or even returning to Thailand if they wished. As a number of Palestinians, including women and children, have died due to the current fighting in the Gaza Strip, many groups of Thai Muslims, meanwhile, demonstrated on Friday (Jul 25) afternoon in front of the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok, amid tight security measures provided by hundreds of Thai police and soldiers, to denounce the violence, urging the United Nations to intervene in a bid to bring peace back as soon as possible. The two-hour protest ended at about 4pm without any violence. A similar demonstration also took place in Satun Province in the Thai far South, where more than 600 Thai Muslims gathered in front of a mosque and denounced Israel. (TNA)