Thai hostages home after 482 days in Hamas captivity

It’s been a long-awaited moment, but some of the last remaining Thai hostages held captive by Hamas are back on home soil.

- TOMMY WALKER

Five Thai nationals arrived in Bangkok yesterday and were greeted by their families in emotional scenes. The five have been held in war-torn Gaza for more than 15 months following the Hamas militant group’s attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.

But Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Surasak Rumnao, 31, and Bannawat Saethao, 28, had all been released on 30 January after Israel and Hamas recently agreed a ceasefire, leading to a wider prison exchange.

The five have been in Israel recuperating from their ordeal and receiving medical treatment. They began their journey back to Thailand on Saturday evening, flying from Dubai to Bangkok. Their Emirates EK374 flight landed shortly after 7am yesterday.

As the five arrived, escorted by Thailand’s foreign minister and government officials, the group emotionally clamped their hands together in prayer, a Buddhist custom, before tearfully opening their arms to their waiting families. They had been held in captivity for 482 days.