‘We want him back – as soon as possible,’ says mother of Thai hostage

Agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak was murdered in the Hamas attack and his body taken into Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

The mother of one of the final two hostages held in the Gaza Strip has spoken of her heartbreak, telling Hebrew-language media that her family is desperate to finally bury their “devoted” son.

Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak worked in agriculture in the fields of Gaza-adjacent Kibbutz Be’eri, sending much of his earnings home to his family in northern Thailand.

“About 10 days before October 7, we spoke for the last time,” On, Rinthalak’s mother, told Ynet in a video interview from her village in the Nong Khai province near the border with Laos.

“We asked him to come to Thailand for a visit. We hadn’t seen him for many years, since he flew to Israel to work,” she recalled.

“He said that he wanted to save some more money, and then he would come home for good. Then October 7 happened and he was murdered. I want my son home as soon as possible. I wait every day for him to come.”

At first, the family was told that Rinthalak was one of dozens of Thai agricultural workers kidnapped to Gaza by terrorists. Several months later, intelligence findings determined that he had been murdered during the massacre and that his body was abducted to the Strip. His family was then formally notified of his death.

On said the family has been in limbo since the Hamas-led attacks.

“We’re waiting for news. We’re receiving updates from the Israeli Embassy and from the Thai authorities. They called us recently to update us on the situation — about Sudthisak and the other hostage [Ran Gvili] who is still in Gaza,” she said.

“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.”

Rinthalak and police officer Master Sgt. Ran Gvili — who was killed fighting the terrorists — are the last two hostages whose bodies remain in Gaza more than two years after they were kidnapped.