24 people have now died in Thailand as a result of Hamas strikes against Israel, while 16 people have been injured and jailed. According to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, more over 7,000 Thai citizens have requested to be transported back to their country as of today (Saturday).
Prime Minister noted that the government has contacted numerous commercial airlines, including Thai Airways International, Nok Air, and Air Asia, who have committed to fly Thai evacuees out of Israel. He emphasized the urgent necessity to repatriate Thai citizens. Spices, a Chinese airline, has made an Airbus-340, which has room for 300 people, available.
He claimed that because Thailand has maintained its impartial posture in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the government has had no issues requesting overflight authorizations to evacuate Thai citizens from Israel.
The second set of 56 Thais, including two with gunshot wounds, arrived at the Suvarnabhumi international airport last evening, according to Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew.
After all the arrivals were examined by health officials, the two injured, one from Nakhon Phanom and the other from Khon Kaen, were immediately transferred to Bang Phli Hospital in Samut Prakan. But today, after expressing their desire to get care in their hometowns, the two were released from the hospital.
According to Cholnan, 22 of the evacuees had psychological evaluations, and it was discovered that three of them had stress disorders and five others had anxiety disorders. Prior to being discharged home, they received medication, and the local hospitals would check on them there.
On Sunday, the third round of evacuees is scheduled to arrive at Chon Buri’s U-Tapao airport.
The Mental Health Department has established guidelines for the treatment of the evacuees, divided into three phases: the impact phase, which involves psychological first aid treatment during the first 24-72 hours of their return, a post-impact phase, and the recovery phase. This was stated by Dr. Pongkasem Khaimook, deputy permanent secretary of public health.
The evacuees may experience shock, rage, grief, or anxiety during the impact phase, he said, adding that psychological first aid treatment will be offered.
The first two to four weeks after the violence in Israel fall under the post-impact period, during which time the evacuees may experience depression, sadness, or anxiety. According to Dr. Pongkasem, medication is not necessary but peer support can be beneficial.
He claimed that certain evacuees who are unable to acclimatize to the new environment may need psychological or social rehabilitation during the recovery phase, which lasts for roughly one month after the violence.
To provide counseling for Thais who may be having psychological issues while staying in Israel, the Mental Health Department has launched a new hotline, 1323.
