Iran reportedly hatched a covert plan to leverage Thailand into pulling tens of thousands of farm workers out of Israel in exchange for securing dozens of Thai hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.
The Islamic Republic tried to broker the brazen powerplay in the weeks following the horrific 2023 attack that saw 39 Thai citizens killed and 31 more abducted by the terror group — including Sudthisak Rinthalak, whose remains were finally turned over to Israeli officials on Dec. 3, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Overall, three Thai workers were murdered either on Oct. 7, or while in Hamas’ captivity.
With nearly 40,000 Thai laborers living in Israel at the time, the deal would have would have put intense economic pressure on the Jewish state — possibly crippling food production with long-term repercussions, the report stated.
Bangkok went so far as to send diplomats to Tehran to meet with both Iranian officials and representatives of Hamas, including Mousa Abu Marzouk of Hamas’ political bureau.
Thailand ultimately walked away from the deal, as 23 of the 31 hostages were released within weeks of being abducted during a short-lived cease-fire. By mid-2024, Bangkok had renegend diplomatic ties with Israel, the outlet reported.
Eight more Thai captives were returned over the course of the two-year war.
Rinthalak, one of the last remaining hostages to be returned, was working on a farm near the Gaza border when the terror group abducted him.
He was laid to rest in his home country this week.
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