January 1, 20242 yr From The Thaiger The escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, hasn’t deterred Thai labourers from seeking employment in Israel’s farmlands. Their decision to remain or return to work in Israel is primarily driven by the substantial financial benefits they can accrue. Satid Prom-u-narot, 37 years old, highlighted the stark disparity in wages between the two countries. “On average, I can earn about 600 baht for about two hours of work in Israel. To get that amount in Thailand, I would need to work for a full day. I may even earn less,” he stated. Although Satid’s camp was attacked by militants, he and his fellow Thai workers escaped unharmed. Despite initial concerns about his safety, Satid decided to return to Israel after spending a week in Thailand. He reasoned, “I have mechanical skills, so I earn a living by working odd jobs like installing air-conditioning, electrical wires, and CCTV systems. But I cannot save a lot of money for my family. I will go to Israel to complete my five-year contract.” Labour Ministry figures reveal that approximately 30,000 Thais were working in Israel under the Thailand-Israel Cooperation on the Placement of Workers programmes before the conflict ensued. The government repatriated 9,475 Thais, but around 20,000 chose to stay. In an effort to assist the repatriated workers, the government offered each worker 15,000 baht (US$435.79) from its fund and 50,000 baht (US$1,452.64) from an emergency fund for aid. Additionally, low-interest loans of up to 150,000 baht (US$4,357.93) were made available to help workers clear any debts owed to job brokers or to pursue other careers, reported Bangkok Post.
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