Gaza hostage Sudthisak Rinthalak’s remains were returned to Israel and positively identified on Thursday, bringing closure to his family and Thai authorities after more than two years of captivity.
Rinthalak worked on Kibbutz Be’eri’s farm for just three months before October 7. Previously, he had worked as a fruit picker on Israel’s northern border for years but was sent to Be’eri for a new assignment not long before the massacre.
He was murdered by infiltrating Hamas terrorists, and his remains were taken into the Gaza Strip, where they were held hostage for over two years.
An investigation carried out by Israeli intelligence officials determined his death in May 2024, and at the time officials informed his family in rural Thailand.
Rinthalak was divorced and had been working in Israel since 2017.
His father, Thongma, told local media that his son largely supported the family through wages he had earned in Israel. Thongma told BBC Thailand that his son was the “missing pillar” of their family.
According to the report, his father asked in what condition his son’s body would be returned – “will they be just bones?” – to which he did not receive a clear answer, as authorities were also unsure.
In memory of slain foreign workers
On October 26, 2025, embassies representing Asian Pacific nations in Israel hosted a memorial event in Be’eri, honoring the murdered foreign workers whose lives were cut short by the Hamas attacks.
Thai Ambassador Boonyarit Vichienpuntu discussed the 28,000 Thai workers living and working across Israel, largely in agriculture, at the memorial ceremony.
“They were highly commended for their hard work, dedication, and kindness. They were loved by their friends, employers, and communities,” the ambassador said.
“They helped cultivate this land and feed this nation. Gradually, they became an integral part of the Israeli economy and society.”
He spoke of the 42 murdered Thai workers, including Rinthalak, and thanked the Israeli government for its efforts to return those remaining, noting that Rinthalak’s family was, at the time, still awaiting his return.
“He will never be forgotten, and we strongly call, once again, for the long-awaited release of his body and all other remaining victims,” the Thai ambassador concluded.
Following the ceremony, Boonyarit told The Jerusalem Post that Thai officials long awaited his return – their final hostage.
“We are now waiting for the good news that his body will be retrieved and able to be sent back to his hometown,” he said at the time.
“We have fortunately already gotten another hostage back. We still have hope and confidence in Israel’s government in bringing him back,” he said, expressing confidence in the current deal.