Thai Farm Laborers Held Hostage by Hamas in Gaza Strip
On October 7, six Thai farm laborers were taken hostage by Hamas militants after they were forced out of their bunker on Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip. Instead of encountering Israeli soldiers, the group was accosted by 10 armed militants, identifiable by the Palestine flags on their sleeves. Two of the Thais were killed soon after, with one being shot dead in front of his colleague, Anucha Angkaew. The remaining hostages were forced onto a truck and taken into Gaza.
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Anucha’s firsthand account sheds light on the experiences endured by the hostages. He described sleeping on a sandy floor and enduring beatings from their Hamas captors, who particularly targeted the Israelis for brutal treatment. The hostages relied on chess games, memories of family, and a craving for Thai food to keep their spirits up during their 50-day captivity.
While few of the freed hostages have spoken at length about their ordeal, others who have been released have also described beatings and death threats. Anucha thought he would die during his time in captivity, spending most of it in two small underground rooms accessed through dark narrow tunnels. At least 240 people, including eight Thais, were abducted by Hamas militants on October 7.
Before the war, around 30,000 Thai laborers worked in the agricultural sector in Israel, making them one of the largest migrant worker groups. Thailand recognized Palestine as a sovereign state in 2012 and has friendly ties with Israel. Israel’s Foreign Ministry has praised the Thai hostages as “heroes” and confirmed that the released captives would receive the same benefits as their Israeli counterparts.
The hostages were subjected to physical abuse, with beatings and death threats being a common occurrence. They were kept in windowless rooms, sleeping on the bare sandy floor. Their meals consisted of flatbread served twice a day, and they shared two bottles of water between them, which were replenished daily. The captives were guarded by armed personnel and were not allowed to speak among themselves.
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After weeks of captivity, the hostages were eventually released. Anucha, along with three other Thais, were led through tunnels for approximately two hours and arrived at a Hamas facility, where a few female Israeli hostages were also waiting. They were later handed over to the Red Cross and safely transported out of Gaza.
Anucha expressed relief at his release but also shared the pain of witnessing his friend’s death during the ordeal. The Thai government continues to work towards securing the release of the remaining hostages.
