In a village lying close to the Mekong River, Weerapon "Golf" Lapchan sits in the centre of a group of Thai elders as they tie white threads around his wrists and chant.

 

They are literally calling his "kwan" or spirit back to his body, after his narrow escape during the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October.

 

The 34-year-old is one of more than 25,000 Thais who were working on farms and orchards in Israel when the Hamas militants stormed in from Gaza. At least 30 Thais were among the 200 or so foreign nationals who were killed in the attack.

 

Now the Thai government is helping others, thousands of them, to return home.

 

By Jonathan Head. South East Asia correspondent

Picture: Golf, who received a warm welcome home in Thailand, says he will never return to Israel
 

Full story: BBC 2023-10-24

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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Just waiting for Srettha to invite Hamas to a dinner party and shake hands 🤔