meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
From Our Own Correspondent

The Thai workers caught up in the Israel-Gaza conflict

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.41.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 October 2023

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel, Ukraine, Argentina, Mauritius and Greece. When Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on the 7th October, over 200 of the people killed were foreign nationals. At least 30 of them were from Thailand, and at least 19 Thais are believed to have been abducted by Hamas. More than 25,000 Thai migrant agricultural workers living in Israel. Jonathan Head travels to north-eastern Thailand to meet returning survivors, and relatives of those still missing. This week marks 20 months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For journalists reporting on the war, not to mention Ukraine’s people, it can be a challenge to ensure the ongoing conflict continues to receive the world’s attention. The BBC’s long-serving Ukraine Correspondent, James Waterhouse reflects on the particular rhythm of covering this war. Last weekend, Argentina voted in its first round of presidential elections. The results surprised pollsters who had predicted an outright win for populist Javier Milei - a colourful candidate, whose ‘shock-jock’ style has led to comparisons with Donald Trump. Instead, Mr Milei will face the country’s incumbent economy minister, Sergio Massa in a run-off in November. In Argentinian politics, surprises are to be expected, says Katy Watson. Mauritius is among Africa’s wealthiest nations per capita. However, its position in the middle of the Indian Ocean has made it an ideal hub for international drug traffickers. The country is now battling a growing drug epidemic, with young people particularly affected. Lorraine Mallinder reports. The Mount Athos peninsula in Northern Greece is one of Orthodox Christianity’s holiest sites. The region is semi-independent from Greece, and sometimes referred to as a monastic republic. Women are banned from visiting, and only a small number of men are permitted entry each day. The monks who live here control their own finances, and Greece's money laundering authority has recently taken a critical look at Russian finances flowing into the monasteries. William Edwards makes a pilgrimage there. Producer: Viv Jones Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison (Image: Narissara Chanthasang, the wife of a Thai migrant worker in southern Israel, has had no news of her husband since Hamas militants stormed the country.)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts

0:05.4

Today our correspondent in Ukraine reflects on the challenge of keeping the country's

0:11.1

ongoing conflict in the global spotlight.

0:14.7

Argentina's elections last weekend did not result in the predicted win for the country's

0:20.0

outlandish far-right candidate Havia Miele, but further surprises may be yet to come.

0:27.5

The idyllic holiday destination of Mauritius has long been a hub for international drug

0:33.1

trafficking, now its battling its own drug epidemic.

0:38.0

And we take a pilgrimage to the ancient monasteries of Mount Athos in Greece, where women are

0:44.2

banned, but Russian rubles are welcome.

0:48.2

But first, when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on the 7th of October,

0:55.2

200 of the people killed were foreign nationals.

0:59.2

At least 30 of them were from Thailand.

1:02.7

In addition at least 19 Thai workers are believed to have been abducted by Hamas, with many

1:08.9

more still missing.

1:11.2

These victims are some of the 25,000 or so Thai migrant workers who are employed on

1:17.8

Israel's farms and orchards.

1:20.6

Jonathan Head traveled to North East Thailand to meet the communities they come from.

1:26.5

In the shaky video they posted early on the morning of the 7th of October, the Thai farm

1:31.1

workers seemed unconcerned by the noises of war coming over from nearby Gaza.

1:37.0

They'd all seen rocket attacks before, and kept up a running commentary as each projectile

1:42.2

was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome Defense System.

1:47.0

That one was loud, said one of them, it's like waking up in a movie.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.