Chabad Bangkok Honored by Thai Army for Flood Relief Efforts

This week, representatives of Chabad in Bangkok were invited to the headquarters of the Royal Thai Army for a formal and emotional ceremony honoring their humanitarian assistance to flood victims in southern Thailand.

The ceremony followed weeks of relief activity by Chabad Bangkok after destructive floods swept through southern regions of the country, affecting more than 600,000 residents. Among the hardest-hit areas was Hat Yai, a major economic center in Songkhla province, where water levels reached critical heights and large parts of the city were flooded.

Rabbi Nechemia Wilhelm, the rabbi of Chabad Bangkok, attended the ceremony alongside senior Thai military officials, including the Thai chief of staff. According to reports, the event was covered by local media and carried the official title: “Chabad House, the home of Israelis, helps Thai residents in a time of trouble.”

“We saw the heavy damage and the people who were harmed by the severe weather. Many people lost everything they had in their lives,” Rabbi Wilhelm told Mako. He said the scenes of devastation prompted immediate action by the Chabad community.

“Here at Chabad, we decided to step in and help as much as we could. We collected donations from many good Israelis, purchased large quantities of rice, bought medicine, and other essential items to help, even a little, the residents during this difficult period,” he said.

The aid effort was carried out in coordination with the Thai army, which assisted in transferring the supplies to affected areas. Following the delivery of the aid, the military invited Chabad representatives to the official ceremony as a gesture of appreciation.

During the event, Rabbi Wilhelm met with the Thai chief of staff. “He thanked us on behalf of the army and the Thai authorities for the assistance and said he greatly appreciates our contribution to the people,” the rabbi said.

Rabbi Wilhelm noted that this was not the first time Chabad has assisted local communities in Thailand during times of crisis. “This is not the first time we have helped locals. We had very extensive activity during the tsunami, for example, when we helped rebuild many villages, assisted the disaster’s orphans, and took part in additional efforts in Bangkok and across Thailand,” he said. “Back then too, we had full cooperation with the Thai army and government.”

The ceremony highlighted the ongoing humanitarian role played by Chabad in Thailand and the close cooperation that has developed over the years between the Jewish organization and local authorities during national emergencies.