In the heart of a crisis, the Royal Thai Air Force plays the knight in shining armor for Thais stranded in the conflict-stricken region of Southern Israel. On a blustery October 16th, a sight of relief unfolded as evacuees alighted from a Royal Thai Air Force plane at the Air Force base, situated opposite Don Mueang airport. Their successful rescue from Israel sparked a glimmer of hope amid the chaos that ensued following a sudden escalation in violence led by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, on October 7th.
The brain behind this monumental operation, ACM Phanpakdee Pattanakul, the esteemed commander of the air force, issued a statement on Saturday revealing significant changes in the repatriation plan. As per his guidelines, an Airbus A340-500 aircraft has now replaced the earlier carrier, ensuring a much-needed acceleration in the evacuation process for the desperate souls longing to escape the war-induced peril of Southern Israel.
The third rescue mission undertaken by the air force marks a stark deviation from the previous flight paths. A clever result of diplomatic negotiations led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the revised airborne trajectory meanders through a mere six countries instead of the prior daunting 10 nations. This strategic move has succeeded in slashing the arduous 13-hour, transcontinental journey to a significantly less tiring eight and a half hours, as per insider reports.
Additionally, future evacuation assignments have abandoned plans of picking up passengers at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. Instead, relief efforts are set to zoom in on Fujairah Airport, nestled in the UAE, underscoring the Royal Thai Air Force’s flexible approach towards crisis management. Moreover, finalizing the schedule for the swift-exit flights on October 25th, 28th, and 30th indicates the government’s earnestness in resolving the predicament. Tentative plans for further flights also stand, further exemplifying their readiness to adapt as required.
Accordingly, the third rescue mission harbors the lofty goal of facilitating the safe return of 140 Thai nationals back to their beloved homeland, with Don Mueang airport as their landing destination expected on Sunday morning.
The Foreign Ministry, in tune with the evolving situation, is adopting a proactive stance. It fervently appeals to Thais still contemplating whether to depart Israel to ensure their presence in safer zones amidst the escalating conflict. They also implore those having second thoughts about returning to quickly inform the Thai embassy, thereby making room for those in dire circumstances await their turn to go home.
The workforce of Thais in Israel primarily lends their services to the agricultural sector, with an estimated amount of 30,000 Thai nationals working there. Southern Israel is the workplace of about 5,000, out of which more than 8,000 have taken the step to register for their return home. In a sobering turn of events, the bodies of the first eight Thai workers tragically killed in the crisis returned home on a commercial flight on Friday. They have since been transported to their native provinces, making a somber homecoming and highlighting the grim reality of the conflict.
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