Sudthisak Rinthalak, a native of the town of Ratnawee in northern Thailand, had been working in Israel since 2017 under the foreign worker employment program in the agricultural sector. Over the years, Sudthisak worked in orchards near Kibbutz Be’eri and was known among his peers as a dedicated and beloved worker. During the Hamas massacre on October 7, he was working in the fields around the kibbutz when terrorists stormed the area. He was abducted along with several other foreign workers.
It wasn’t until more than six months later, on May 16, 2024, that his family in Thailand was informed that 43-year-old Sudthisak had been murdered on the day of the attack and that his body was being held in the Gaza Strip. Now, nearly two years and two months after that tragic Saturday, Sudthisak remains one of the last two hostages whose bodies are still in Gaza, alongside Ran Gvili.
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Thai worker Sudthisak Rinthalak was killed in the Hamas massacre and his body remains in Gaza; His family is waiting for him to return
(Photo: Courtesy of Ratda Gongpa )
Sudthisak's parents and sister shared memories with Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth of their devoted son and brother who supported them from afar.
“About 10 days before October 7 was the last time we spoke,” recalled Sudthisak's mother, On. “We asked him to come home to Thailand for a visit. We hadn’t seen him in many years, ever since he went to Israel for work. He told us he wanted to save a bit more money and then come home for good. Then October 7 happened and he was murdered. I want my son home as soon as possible. I wait for him every day.”
Sitting beside her, Sudthisak’s father, Thaung-Na, nodded silently. “I miss him,” he said. “I miss him so much.”
Sudthisak came from a village in the Nong Khai province in northeastern Thailand, in the Isan region near the border with neighboring Laos. The area consists of several adjacent villages home to nearly a thousand families. “Almost every household here has someone who went to work in Israel,” said Ratda Gongphat, Sudthisak’s older sister, who lives near their parents’ home. “We also have several relatives of Sudthisak who are currently working in Israel.”
After separating from his partner, Sudthisak returned to live with his parents and financially supported the entire family, especially his aging mother and father. While in Israel, he maintained regular contact with his family through phone and Messenger calls.
“He was the head of our family and the main breadwinner,” said his sister. “A polite and well-loved guy with many friends. Everyone here in the village misses him, they ask about him and want to know what’s happening. They’re sad with us. They sit with us, quietly. That’s how we Isan people are.”
His mother On added: “We’re waiting for news. We’re receiving updates from the Israeli Embassy and from government offices in Thailand. They called us recently to update us on the situation—about Sudthisak and the other hostage who is still in Gaza. We are very grateful to the State of Israel for all the efforts to bring our son home, and to the Thai government for their work on his return. Please continue updating us if there is any more news. We are waiting here for any information about Sudthisak.”