National—
At 12:59 AM, on May 17th, 2024, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the death of two Thai hostages in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a report from the Royal Thai Embassy, in Tel Aviv, Israel, after a committee responsible for assessing the status of government-backed insurance in Israel confirmed that two Thai hostages out of eight were deceased, namely Mr. Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Mr. Sudthisak Rinthalak.
It was reported that Sonthaya and Sudthisak were actually confirmed dead in October 2023 but were unable to be confirmed until now. The Thai government expressed condolences to the families and loved ones. Relevant agencies would coordinate with families and relatives for further necessary assistance.
Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted on X regarding the announcement while officially visiting Milan, Italy, and said “I am deeply saddened to learn that two Thai hostages in Gaza, namely Mr. Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Mr. Sudthisak Rinthalak are now confirmed as deceased. I offer my deepest condolences to both of their families. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Embassy in Tel Aviv will provide all necessary assistance required.”
“The Thai Government will continue to do our utmost to secure the release of the remaining hostages,” Srettha concluded.
