Odisha Seeks Centre’s Help for Rescue, Repatriation of 6 Workers Stranded in Thailand

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has formally approached the Government of India, seeking urgent intervention for the rescue and safe repatriation of six migrant workers from the state who are reportedly stranded in Thailand under distressing conditions.

In a letter addressed to the Additional Secretary (Southern Division) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Principal Resident Commissioner Vishal Gagan highlighted the workers’ plight and urged immediate diplomatic action. The communication followed inputs received from the Director of Odisha Paribar under the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department.

According to the letter, the six workers, employed at a plywood company in Thailand, have allegedly not been paid their salaries for the past three months and are living in severe hardship. The Commissioner noted that the workers reached out to the state government through social media platforms, seeking urgent assistance for their rescue and return home.

The stranded workers have been identified as Jashobanta Sahoo, Prasanta Rout, Bijaya Kumar Swain, Hemanata Behera, and Jayant Kumar Malik from Kendrapara district, and Manaranjan Sahu from Bhadrak district.

Urging swift intervention, the Principal Resident Commissioner requested the MEA to take appropriate diplomatic steps to ensure the workers’ safety, secure payment of their pending wages as per contractual entitlements, and facilitate their immediate repatriation to Odisha.

“In view of the serious nature of the plight of the workers, urgent action may kindly be initiated for disbursal of remuneration as per their due entitlement and for their rescue and safe repatriation from Thailand to their native places in Odisha. Early action in the matter is earnestly solicited,” the Commissioner stated in the letter.

In a video message circulating on social media, the workers alleged that they have been denied wages for months, threatened by their employer, and left to cope with food shortages and difficult living conditions. They appealed to the Odisha government to intervene and ensure their immediate return.

The development has prompted the state government to escalate the matter to the Centre, seeking coordinated diplomatic efforts to address the crisis and bring the workers back safely.