For Pannabha Chandraramya, one of the Bangkok Post's Women of the Year, war can be hell on earth, but it also serves as an opportunity to battle to save lives despite the perilous risks involved.
Exercising her diplomatic prowess, the former Thai ambassador to Israel was a key coordinator in the operation to rescue the scores of Thai workers abducted and held hostage in the Gaza Strip as a result of Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023. Ms Pannabha is now the Thai ambassador to Switzerland.
Her last mission before completing her tenure was securing the release of five Thai hostages. Her goal was achieved when they were freed on Jan 30 and arrived safely back in Thailand on Feb 9. Ms Pannabha recalls the day of their release as one of the happiest of her life.
She was appointed the ambassador of Thailand to Israel in 2019 and was posted in Tel Aviv until this year, with the last 16 months of her tenure largely occupied by the war.
She told the media she had never previously served in a country at war. The Israel-Hamas war is the deadliest conflict in the region in decades. Tens of thousands of people have been killed, including citizens of other countries.
Ms Pannabha said that when an emergency occurs and the local government issues living advice for the people, one of the duties of the Thai embassy is to translate those instructions into Thai and inform Thai citizens immediately.
She said ensuring the safety of Thais living in Israel was among her most crucial responsibilities for over a year.
During the conflict, the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, under the helm of Ms Pannabha, helped facilitate the evacuation of more than 7,900 Thais, including 120 students, from war zones and repatriate them on a total of 34 flights. At that time, getting Thai citizens home safely was her priority.
At the beginning of the attack, at least 44 Thais working in farming zones along the Israeli border were killed, while 31 were taken hostage. Twenty-three of them were released shortly after. Of the remaining eight, two were later confirmed dead, leaving six in captivity for 15 months. With the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pressing for negotiations, all but one arrived back home in Thailand by Feb 9. The fate of the last hostage remains a mystery.
Ms Pannabha said she was glad to be able to assist with the rescue operation rather than sitting on the sidelines. For more than 400 days, the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv made the utmost effort in coordinating with all related sectors, negotiating with various governments and following up with relevant agencies, which led to their successful rescue, she said.
Ms Pannabha has served as a diplomat since 1990, working in Thai embassies and consulates in Germany, India and Norway. Prior to her tenure in Israel, she held the position of consul-general at the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Frankfurt, Germany. Ms Pannabha was appointed the Thai ambassador to Switzerland on Feb 6.
