The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) will send two planes to Israel this Sunday to fly 220 Thai evacuees back to Thailand, followed by a third flight next Wednesday to pick up more evacuees, Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkaphong Sangmanee told MPs in the parliament today (Thursday).

 

The first batch of 15 Thais arrived this morning on an El Al flight, to be followed by a second group of 26 evacuees on the same day, said Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, adding that the number of Thais wanting to come home has increased to over 6,000 while 16 Thais are now being held hostage by Hamas.

 

He said that the government has been trying to arrange for more flights to pick up Thai evacuees in Tel Aviv, but added that, if flights can be arranged in Israel, more evacuees will be able to fly home quickly.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-10-12

 

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6,000 want to come home, the Thai military could take months at their evacuation pace.

Why did it take so long to start the evacuation? Two planes? Really? Is that all they can come up with?

Edited October 13, 20232 yr by HuskerDo2

Well since the conflict is still on going, do any of you armchair pilots feel you would

be brave enough to fly into an active War zone?  Some people have rocks for brains in my opinion.

  Maybe some of you forgot that the airspace over Isreal was closed to most aircraft that was not from Isreal.

It's about time to bring those poor people back to Thailand and not allow them to go back to that region full of problems.

1 hour ago, HuskerDo2 said:

Why did it take so long to start the evacuation? Two planes? Really? Is that all they can come up with?

You do know that rockets are flying through the sky and there's a war?

The Thais and Filipinos who went to Israel knew the risks. There is a long history of violence and war there.

 

They went for money. And they were paid 8 to 10 times what they could earn at home. 

 

There are still commercial flights from Tel Aviv, so I see no reason why they can't buy their own tickets instead of relying on the government and tax payer to bring them back.

 

 

5 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

You do know that rockets are flying through the sky and there's a war?

Yes, sing along now.....

......And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.......

 

8 hours ago, Stargeezr said:

Well since the conflict is still on going, do any of you armchair pilots feel you would

be brave enough to fly into an active War zone?  Some people have rocks for brains in my opinion.

  Maybe some of you forgot that the airspace over Isreal was closed to most aircraft that was not from Isreal.

Was not closed for civilian airlines flying to Israel. Emirates was flying there up until yesterday.