Jonathan Head

There were officially eight people still technically being held, but we already knew that two of them had died in captivity. They're among the 44 Thais who have died either in captivity or in the initial Hamas attacks. So that left six, and I think a lot of people here were hoping that all six would be released. But five of them, all men,

There were officially eight people still technically being held, but we already knew that two of them had died in captivity. They're among the 44 Thais who have died either in captivity or in the initial Hamas attacks. So that left six, and I think a lot of people here were hoping that all six would be released. But five of them, all men,

who are farm workers who've come from mostly the northeast and north of Thailand. That's where most of these guest workers come from, to work in Israel. It's a long tradition going back many decades, the ties to go to Israel. And, yep, they've all been released. As far as we can tell, they're in reasonable health. We can only imagine the conditions they've been held in.

who are farm workers who've come from mostly the northeast and north of Thailand. That's where most of these guest workers come from, to work in Israel. It's a long tradition going back many decades, the ties to go to Israel. And, yep, they've all been released. As far as we can tell, they're in reasonable health. We can only imagine the conditions they've been held in.

I mean, I can remember talking to hostages who were released after only about 50 days, and they were pretty traumatised by the experience, so we can't even guess... what their state of mind is. The big question is still this one remaining man, whose wife actually I've been in touch with since the very start of this, and we really had hoped that he would be among those released.

I mean, I can remember talking to hostages who were released after only about 50 days, and they were pretty traumatised by the experience, so we can't even guess... what their state of mind is. The big question is still this one remaining man, whose wife actually I've been in touch with since the very start of this, and we really had hoped that he would be among those released.

We don't know what's happened to him. There's no record of his name. Hamas haven't mentioned holding him. He's not recorded as having died. So he is the one last remaining contingent among the Thais who are caught up. And remember, the Thais were the largest group of foreign nationals who were caught up in the whole Hamas attack and the hostage crisis after that.

We don't know what's happened to him. There's no record of his name. Hamas haven't mentioned holding him. He's not recorded as having died. So he is the one last remaining contingent among the Thais who are caught up. And remember, the Thais were the largest group of foreign nationals who were caught up in the whole Hamas attack and the hostage crisis after that.

Yes, we have. I mean, I've been reporting from Bangkok, but my Thai colleagues have gone off to talk to someone. They're all quite a long way away. It's absolutely fantastic. I mean, the sense of relief. You know, they don't show emotion very much all along. They're quite stoical. They've been buoyed by their communities.

Yes, we have. I mean, I've been reporting from Bangkok, but my Thai colleagues have gone off to talk to someone. They're all quite a long way away. It's absolutely fantastic. I mean, the sense of relief. You know, they don't show emotion very much all along. They're quite stoical. They've been buoyed by their communities.

They usually live in quite tight-knit communities in the villages they come from. But, you know, the not knowing when or whether their sons, husbands, brothers would come out has been very, very painful. And you... had this absolute gush of relief that's come from, for example, Willett Tyner. He's a 65-year-old man and his son Pongsak has been held for all that time.

They usually live in quite tight-knit communities in the villages they come from. But, you know, the not knowing when or whether their sons, husbands, brothers would come out has been very, very painful. And you... had this absolute gush of relief that's come from, for example, Willett Tyner. He's a 65-year-old man and his son Pongsak has been held for all that time.

And I think my colleagues have spoken to before, you know, he was beginning to lose hope. Remember, Thailand has been running its own diplomatic track to try and get the hostages out. It's not a party to the conflicts in the Middle East. And Thailand tries to maintain good relations with everyone, but actually has quite a good relationship with Iran.

And I think my colleagues have spoken to before, you know, he was beginning to lose hope. Remember, Thailand has been running its own diplomatic track to try and get the hostages out. It's not a party to the conflicts in the Middle East. And Thailand tries to maintain good relations with everyone, but actually has quite a good relationship with Iran.

So they've been talking directly to the Iranians, to the Qataris, to the Egyptians in the hope that they would be able to get their own people out. But, you know, they did get 23 out the month following the initial attacks. But there's been no progress, partly because of the devastating Israeli operation. Everything's been frozen for this last year while that's gone on.

So they've been talking directly to the Iranians, to the Qataris, to the Egyptians in the hope that they would be able to get their own people out. But, you know, they did get 23 out the month following the initial attacks. But there's been no progress, partly because of the devastating Israeli operation. Everything's been frozen for this last year while that's gone on.

So it's been a very long wait and a very difficult one. But as far as the ties are concerned, apart from this one man who's missing, their saga is now over.

So it's been a very long wait and a very difficult one. But as far as the ties are concerned, apart from this one man who's missing, their saga is now over.

We know about it because the Arakan Army has put out a quite dramatic video showing the last stages of the siege of a base in which the remaining military units had retreated. The Arakan Army has had the military on the run for a year. This is the most sustained fighting in the entire civil war. This battle for Rakhine State, the westernmost state in Myanmar, up against the Bangladesh border.

We know about it because the Arakan Army has put out a quite dramatic video showing the last stages of the siege of a base in which the remaining military units had retreated. The Arakan Army has had the military on the run for a year. This is the most sustained fighting in the entire civil war. This battle for Rakhine State, the westernmost state in Myanmar, up against the Bangladesh border.