Gaza war: We can only pray to God, says mother of Thai hostage

Far from the conflict in the Middle East, a church in northeasternThailand fills with voices of blessing, chants rising on the eve of the war's anniversary. Amid these prayers, the Sriaoun family—one of sixThaifamilies with loved ones believed to remain held in Gaza—gathers under the shadow of war.

Watchara Sriaoun is one of sixThais believed to be held captive by Hamas since the war began on October 7, 2023, according to a statement from theThaiForeign Ministry in September. Since then, the Sriaoun family, along with the church community, has prayed every week, hoping for the return of their son.

“We can only pray to God,” said Wiwwaro Sriaoun, the mother of the remainingThaihostage, as she waited endlessly, caught between hope and fear, uncertain whether her son was alive or gone.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

“Asking people doesn’t give us answers, and even the village chief or headman cannot confirm anything,” she added.

Before the war, Watchara and his younger brother went to Israel in 2020, hoping to clear the family debt and earn money for their father's medical expenses. Together, they sent 50,000ThaiBaht (1,500 USD) home each month to help pay off a debt of 300,000ThaiBaht (9,000 USD) and renovate the house.

Since Watchara's capture, the family has faced financial hardship, with his younger brother returning home at their mother's request, afraid of losing another son. This has meant the Sriaoun family has had to work harder, relying on income from farming, rice cultivation, and rubber tapping, especially since Watchara's father's condition worsened after the war began.

Wiwwaro said that whenever she feels tired, she recalls her son's voice to keep her strong. “He told me, 'Mother, as long as I’m not dead, you don’t have to worry. I will provide everything for you.'”

“The debt I haven't yet paid off, I will do my best to repay. I won’t let myself struggle, and I won’t let my parents suffer, as long as I have the strength,” she added, recalling Watchara’s words from his time in Israel.

However, with part of the 3,000,000ThaiBaht (approximately 90,000 USD) compensation received in July 2024 from the Israeli government for Watchara's capture, the family was able to pay off their debt and purchase the land that Watchara had promised to buy for his mother.

“Everyone still has hope that one day you will be standing here,” said Wiwwaro as she stood on the land that Watchara had promised to buy for her, hoping he would build a new house there to live with his daughter.

"I wish for this brutal war to end," Wiwwaro told Reuters. “Everyone has suffered enough, and I have suffered enough too, waiting for my son,” she said, tears welling in her eyes as she endured the uncertainty.

Wiwwaro has held onto her courage for the sake of her family, especially 9-year-old Irada Sriaoun, Watchara’s daughter, who lost her mother—Watchara's ex-wife—in August 2024.

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, held discussions with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian regarding efforts to negotiate the release ofThaihostages. During their talks, she requested additional support for the release of the remaining sixThaihostages on Thursday (October 3).

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.