Freed Thai hostages rejoice, never lost hope during captivity

Mr Pongsak Tanna, one of five Thai hostages released by Hamas on Jan 30, is currently receiving medical care at a hospital in Tel Aviv under the supervision of the Israeli government. A team of doctors and nurses have been assigned to care for him and the other former Thai hostages.

Speaking over the weekend, he expressed immense relief at regaining his freedom and said his overall health was good. He had already spoken with his family in Buri Ram. Upon his release, he was able to enjoy regular meals again, with his first taste of Thai food being especially satisfying. He has already had grilled chicken, papaya salad and sushi, which made him very happy.

“During captivity, I ate local foods such as bread, cheese and beans. It was enough to survive, but living conditions were extremely difficult. Today, it feels like I’ve been reborn. I am incredibly happy. As long as I made it out alive, that’s all that matters,” he said.

Mr Pongsak never lost hope, believing that one day someone would come to rescue him. He constantly thought about his family, especially his daughter. His greatest source of strength was the desire to see his 15-year-old daughter, whom he has not seen in more than seven years – since she was just seven years old.

Mr Bannawat Saethao shared similar feelings of immense relief and happiness. While being held hostage, he endured difficult living conditions, but his health remained stable and he had enough to eat. Naturally, he longed to return home.

“I’ve been away from home for so long, and I miss my family. Now that I’m free, I feel so much lighter and at peace. While I was a hostage, I never knew if I would really make it back. I kept wondering what they would do to us whenever they checked on us. But they reassured us they wouldn’t harm us and even showed some concern, asking if we could eat their food. We had to eat to survive.”

Mr Bannawat said that three Thai hostages were held together, which allowed them to support and encourage one another, giving each other hope that they would eventually return home.

Mr Pongsak recounted that he was in a different camp from Mr Bannawat, but they were transported together before being separated again. For an entire year, they did not see each other or even glimpsed the moon or stars.

The migrant workers had no knowledge of the outside world, with only faint light filtering through a window. They were confined in small rectangular rooms, receiving food from Hamas. Bathing was allowed only once every four or five days, but they managed to endure.

Mr Watchara Sriuan also expressed his joy at being released. Throughout his captivity, he never lost hope, believing that someone would eventually come to rescue them. His greatest motivation was reuniting with his parents and daughter, longing for the day he could finally rest with his family.

Mr Surasak Lamnao was overjoyed to finally speak with his parents on the phone – something he had long waited for. During captivity, he tried to sleep and avoid overthinking. Since he has no wife or children, he saw that as a small advantage.

“I never lost hope. I was confident that efforts were being made to rescue us. As long as we didn’t resist and followed orders, we were fine. Communication was possible to some extent. I didn’t feel discouraged. Mental strength is crucial – focusing on positive thoughts and finding motivation to keep going,” he said.

Mr Sathian Suwannakham was also thrilled to be returning to Thailand. The past year had been incredibly difficult, with moments of despair, but the hostages supported one another, believing they would one day be freed. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK