A Thai labourer who is blind in one eye and who has worked illegally in Israel for several years to support his family is now stranded in the Middle Eastern country and unable to pay his hospital bills after sustaining serious injuries from falling down a flight of stairs.
A friend of the injured 58-year-old, Surasak Intrasasakul, reportedly called the man's sister this week to tell her of his recent mishap. The name of the friend was not provided.
"His leg and spine are injured," Punnipa Bunmatun, Mr Surasak's younger sister, told the Bangkok Post.
"His employer apparently sent him to a hospital and confiscated his passport, cash and other documents. Then the embassy called me and said it would cost 500,000 baht [US$15,140] for his surgery," she said.
"Now we're all stressed because we don't have that kind of money," added the 48-year-old.
A photo of the injured man was shared on social media this week along with a message requesting immediate help.
The man, who hails from the northeastern province of Udon Thani, was seen lying in a hospital bed, believed to be in Israel. It was claimed that he was experiencing problems walking.
A Bangkok Post reporter was dispatched to his home address as provided in the post, which was given as Moo 9 village of tambon Pa Kho in Kumphawapi district.
The paper soon learned that Mr Surasak's house had once stood there but had burned down in 2012. The land now belongs to a creditor.
His relations said Mr Surasak had been working abroad since 1994 in Taiwan, Brunei, Singapore and Israel as he was saving money to build the family a new home.
His employment contract in Israel had expired some years ago but he chose to continue working there illegally rather than return home, his relatives said.
"In 2004 he borrowed money to cover the cost of his flight to Israel and finally completed paying off the house, but sadly it burned down," said his wife, Kwunjai.
We had to take out a 100,000-baht loan but the creditor claimed the land as we failed to make the repayments," she added.
