The prime minister gave a media interview before the weekly Cabinet meeting in which he revealed that he had phoned Israeli ambassador Orna Sagiv about the matter on Monday night, reports the Bangkok Post.
Mr Srettha said he complained that Israel was reportedly either offering higher pay or delaying payment of salaries until Nov 10 to retain Thai workers.
“This is unacceptable when Thai lives are at stake,” Mr Srettha said.
“Ms Sagiv had initially replied she had no knowledge of such reports and would investigate the matter.”
The prime minister said he was aware some Thais had decided to stay in Israel instead of returning home, and he understood the financial significance of the job to these workers.
However, he said he wanted all Thai workers there to return home for their own safety.
The government would find them jobs here at reasonable wages, he said.
The Israeli embassy yesterday denied salaries were being delayed to get Thai workers to stay.
The complaints may be from workers wanting to be paid earlier than usual, which was the 10th of each month, the embassy said. In fact, extra money was being offered as an inducement to stay.
About 30,000 Thais were working in Israel, and they play an important role in the agricultural sector and the food supply chain, the embassy said.
Israel needs Thai workers, so it extended their visas and approved special allowances for those who decided to remain in their jobs near the Gaza Strip until the end of this year, the statement said.
The prime minister said the government still does not know the fate of the 19 Thais taken captive by Hamas during the attack on Oct 7.
Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said the 19 Thais were among the more than 200 people who were abducted.
The foreign affairs minister said it was difficult to identify the bodies of the Thais who had been killed because they were decomposing. Identification would require DNA cross-checks, he said.