Released Thai hostages return to Bangkok after being held for over a year in Gaza – The Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Five Thai workers released after being held hostage for over a year in Gaza arrived in Bangkok on Sunday. Sarusak Rumnao, 32, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were freed on Jan. 30 as part of a an exchange arrangement. They were embraced by family members, some of whom cried, in the arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi airport.
Pongsak Thaenna, center, a Thai hostage who was freed from Hamas, hugs a relative upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn Province, Thailand, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A Thai hostage who was freed from Hamas, Bannawat Saethao, second from left hugs relatives upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, in Samut Prakarn Province, Thailand, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Thai hostages who were freed from Hamas, Bannawat Saethao, left hugs a relatives upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, in Samut Prakarn Province, Thailand, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
5 Thai hostages who were freed from Hamas, from left to right, Surasak Rumnao, Watchara Sriaoun, The permanent secretary of the labor ministry Boonsong Tapchaiyut, Bannawat Saethao, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Sathian Suwannakham, Pongsak Thaenna are greeted upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, in Samut Prakarn Province, Thailand, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Laloit
Thai hostage who were freed from Hamas, Bannawat Saethao, second from left hugs his relatives of upon his arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, in Samut Prakarn Province, Thailand, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Thai citizens, who were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, leave Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Be’er Ya’akov, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Thai citizens, who were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, leave Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Be’er Ya’akov, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Thai citizens, who were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, leave Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Be’er Ya’akov, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Thai Bannawat Saethao, center, who was released along with another four countrymen from Hamas captivity in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, leaves Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Be’er Ya’akov, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Thai Bannawat Saethao, who was released along with another four countrymen from Hamas captivity in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, leaves Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Be’er Ya’akov, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Thai hostages freed from Hamas, including Pongsak Thaenna, left, and Sathian Suwannakham, back, are greeted upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn Province, Thailand, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
BANGKOK (AP) — Five Thai workers released after being held hostage for over a year in Gaza arrived in Bangkok on Sunday.
Sarusak Rumnao, 32, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were freed on Jan. 30 as part of an exchange arrangement.
They were embraced by family members, some of whom cried, in the arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi airport. Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sagniampongsa and the Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Orna Sagiv were both at the airport to welcome home the freed hostages.
“We are all very grateful and very happy that we get to return to our homeland. We all would really like to thank you. I don’t know what else to say,” Pongsak told a news conference at the airport.
Maris said the Thai government “never gave up hope and here is the result today. The tears of joy are our encouragement.” He added that Bangkok would continue working to secure the release of the remaining Thai hostage.
The group quickly left the news conference to return to their hometowns in Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions.
They were the second batch of Thai hostages released since the war broke out. During an earlier ceasefire in November 2023, 23 Thai nationals were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with assistance from Qatar and Iran.
All five men were assessed at a hospital outside Tel Aviv prior to their return. Four of them were joined by one relative each earlier this week. The trip was sponsored by the Israeli government, according to the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Hamas militants kidnapped 31 Thai nationals during the Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel, making them the largest group of foreigners held captive. Many of the Thai agricultural workers
Read more: Click here