A Thai labourer who has risked working illegally in Israel for years to support his family in the Northeast, despite being blinded in one eye, is now stranded and unable to pay the hospital bill after he fell down a flight of stairs and was seriously injured.
A photo of the injured Surasak Intrasasakul, 58, has been shared on social media in the northeastern province of Udon Thani, along with a message requesting immediate help.
The man was lying in a hospital bed and it was said he had problems getting up and walking.
Reporters went to the address given with the photograph, in Moo 9 village of tambon Pa Kho in Kumphawapi district. They learned Mr Surasak's house had been there, but had burned down in 2012. The land now belongs to a creditor.
His younger sister Punnipa Bunmatun, 48, said Mr Surasak had worked in Taiwan, Brunei, Singapore and finally in Israel.
His employment contract had expired some years ago but he not returned to Thailand and instead continued to work illegally. His friend recently phoned from Israel and said he fell down of a flight of stairs while working, Ms Punnipa said.
“His leg and spine were injured. His employer sent him to a hospital and confiscated his passport, cash and other documents. The embassy called and told me it will cost 500,000 baht for his surgery, and we are all stressed because we don’t have that kind of money,” Ms Punnipa added.
Mr Surasak’s wife Kwunjai said her husband had been working abroad since 1994, shuffling through several countries. He sent all his money home for the care of his family and to pay for a small two-storey house.
“In 2004 he decided to borrow money to cover the cost of his flight to Israel, and finally completed paying off the house, but unfortunately it burned down. We had to take out a 100,000 baht loan ourselves shortly afterwards, and the creditor claimed the land as we failed to make the repayments,” Ms Kwunjai said. She now lives with relatives.
“While working illegally he would sometimes get a nice employer who paid properly, but in most cases they would rip him off. Other workers also steal money. Unfortunately, two years ago my husband suffered an injury when a cactus needle pierced his eye, leaving him blind in that eye.
"He couldn't seek medical assistance because of his illegal status,” she added.
