A Thai woman in That Phanom district of the north-eastern province of Nakhon Phanom has told the Thai media that her husband, Somkuan, who worked in a banana plantation in Gaza, was shot dead by Hamas militants.

Rungthiva learned from her husband’s friend, who also works in the kibbutz, who called her yesterday (Sunday), informing her that the Thai workers, including himself, were eating together at their shelter when Hamas militants broke in and started shooting.

The friend claimed that Somkuan was dragged out of the shelter as he cried for help and, shortly afterward, there were gunshots.  The rest of the workers escaped into the bunker and, after the militants had left, they found Somkuan’s body lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

Rungthiva said that her family is poor and heavily in debt following the COVID-19 pandemic.  Her husband decided to leave for Israel to work in a banana plantation, adding that both of them were in close contact everyday

She said she had been approached by a labour official, who informed her about the compensation she would receive for her husband’s death.  She added that she is waiting for word from the authorities about when her husband’s body will be brought home.

The victim’s uncle, 64-year-old Sitthichai Promnoi, said that Somkuan was a hard working man and the family is poor, adding that the family took out a loan to send him to work in Israel.

He also said that there are several other men in the same village who travelled to Israel to work on the farm, in order to earn money to be sent home for their families.

Sitthichai also said that, if the Thai workers are to be evacuated back to Thailand for their safety, they have one big problem – which is how to earn enough money to pay off their debts from loans taken out to enable them to work in Israel.