This year, Thailand and Israel celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. Obviously, this occurred at a time of great tension for Israel and the broader Middle East. Under these circumstances, Thailand needs to recalibrate one of its most important foreign policies in the Middle East. Otherwise, there is nothing to celebrate.
Military actions between Iran and Israel in recent weeks have further complicated the strategic situation in the region, and Thailand is grappling with how to respond to these developments.
At least 28,000 Thais are still working in Israel, even though the Thai government repatriated some workers from Israel following the October 7 Hamas attack. During the first three months of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, nearly 9,000 workers returned home.
However, some returned to Israel of their own accord within weeks, even though the Thai government had temporarily suspended Thai workers from working there due to concerns for their safety since the conflict began. At least 4,000 workers returned to work via third countries. Meanwhile, there are 300 Thai nationals living in Iran who are not currently in physical danger.
The Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 38 Thai workers and kidnapped more than 50 by the terrorist group dominated news headlines for months, catching the newly installed Pro-Thai Government by surprise.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, and other relevant ministries scrambled to find a quick and appropriate response to the kidnapping.
For the first time in Thai diplomacy, overseas Thai workers have become hostile captives in a political brinkmanship situation that has nothing to do with their home country.
More than half a year later, the hostage crisis continues, with eight Thai hostages still missing. The Foreign Ministry confirmed the number last week and reiterated that their fate is unknown.
According to Israeli media, a total of 129 hostages captured on October 7 are believed to be still being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which is under siege by Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, as the conflict intensifies, the plight of those still detained has received less attention from international media.
As far as Thailand’s foreign policy is concerned, Thailand-Israel relations are difficult to navigate as they have to balance relations with the Islamic world, especially with Iran, which is considered a traditional friend.
The truth is, managing relations with great power rivals is not as difficult as the relationship between Thailand and Israel. Because, as we have seen with the fate of Thai workers over the past six months, it will not have an immediate impact on the lives of Thai people.
Balancing and hedging are familiar strategies for Thai foreign policy decision-makers, but they do not apply here in the Russian roulette-like Middle East context.
Thai authorities and politicians have credited the two separate releases of Thai hostages to good relations with their Muslim friends, including Iran.
For Thai diplomacy, Iran has never been considered a hostile country. Most importantly, it has deep ties with Iran, whose origins can be traced back to her 17th century Ayutthaya days.
Tehran’s pledge not to support any separatist movements in Thailand’s deep south has won goodwill and further strengthened ties, despite Western countries imposing tough sanctions on Iran.
The worsening conflict has left many Thais living in Israel without employment opportunities, impacting the lives of Thai workers’ families and communities.
But many Thais remain in Israel or return for work, ignoring rocket attacks from Hamas and Iran and concerns about the broader conflict.
Thailand has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Israel, as Tel Aviv is a close friend of the United States and has high-tech know-how in areas such as security and agriculture.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Bangkok was considered a quasi-war zone between Israeli special forces and Middle Eastern extremist groups, and hostage situations, bombings, and assassination attempts occurred.
Due to existential terrorist attacks against Israeli targets in Thailand, Thai-Israeli relations at the time focused on counterterrorism cooperation and information exchange.
After ties between Thailand and Saudi Arabia were severed in 1989 due to the theft of jewelry and the murder of a Saudi businessman with close ties to the Saudi royal family, the first victims were Thai workers. At the time, Saudi Arabia had well over 100,000 workers.
After a few years, Thai workers found new opportunities and gradually began working in kibbutzim and other farming communities throughout Israel.
The Israeli community likes Thai workers because they are hardworking but friendly.
After the two governments agreed to a labor agreement in 2012, their numbers increased and they gradually replaced local Palestinians in the labor force.
Former Thai diplomats with experience in the Middle East can recall one of the earliest complaints from the kibbutzim over the habit of Thai workers catching and barbecuing rabbits they found in vegetable gardens after work.
So far, regarding the Iran-Israel conflict, the Foreign Office has called for mutual restraint to avoid the potential escalation of a broader conflict.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phanpuri Bahidullah Nukara reiterated that recent Israeli and Iranian retaliation has not affected the lives of Thai people living in both countries.
Given current geopolitical trends, the Thai government must ensure that Thai workers in Israel are not weaponized by warring parties in the Middle East. A distinction must also be drawn between Hamas and Palestinians in general.
Due to the large number of Thais stationed there, any Thai actions or policies regarding Israel that are considered harmful to Islamic countries could have a negative impact on these workers. The hostage situation is a good example.
Despite the growing demand for Thai workers in Israel, Thailand can impose voluntary quotas on Thai workers in Israel. The government needs to diversify Thailand’s overseas labor market while equipping workers with new skills that will help them find compatible jobs elsewhere.
Recalibrating Thai-Israel relations would require Thailand to vote at the United Nations on the status of the Hamas-Israel conflict. Thailand fully supports a two-state solution and the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, so any general perception that Thailand will vote for either side must be avoided.
Finally, Bangkok should also consider Saudi Arabia. After 30 years of frozen relations, Saudi Arabia fully normalized diplomatic relations with Thailand from January 2022. At present, the close relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel is on hold due to the war in Gaza. The current state of relations between the two countries will also contribute to the broader development of Thai diplomacy towards the Middle East as a whole.
