Kraisorn Thumyoma, 29: Thai worker shared final FB post during attack

Kraisorn “Ting” Thumyoma, 29, an agricultural laborer from the Bueng Kan province of northeastern Thailand, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7.

When the rocket fire began, Kraisorn and most of the other Thai workers ran for their nearby bomb shelter.

Hearing voices outside, they thought they were IDF soldiers, but they soon realized that they were Hamas terrorists. One Thai survivor from Alumim told Human Rights Watch that a Hamas member asked one of them where he was from, and “when the guy said he was Thai and not the boss, the soldiers just started shooting nonstop while shouting, ‘Allahu akbar!’”

Another survivor said that before one of the terrorists threw a grenade into their living quarters, he shouted, “Hello Thailand,” and then in Hebrew, “You like to work so hard, now you will die.”

In total, 22 Thai and Nepalese workers were killed in Alumim that day, including Tianchai Yotthongdee, Ashish Chaudhary, Thawatchai Saetao and cousins Dua and Somchai Sae-yang, while others were kidnapped to Gaza.

Kraisorn’s remains were returned to Thailand on November 9. His cremation ceremony was held on November 14 in the Tha Sa-at subdistrict of Seka District in Bueng Kan Province.

He is survived by his wife, Somboon Hnoowieng, their son, and other relatives.

Kraisorn arrived in Israel to work in agriculture in February 2021, signing on for the typical five-year contract. The day he left for the airport, he wrote on Facebook: “In 5 years and 3 months, let’s meet again.”

Over the years, he worked in farms in a number of communities in the south, starting with picking potatoes in Ohad, not far from the Egyptian border, and eventually harvesting squash and watermelon in Kibbutz Alumim.

Kraisorn documented his work and leisure activities across social media, sharing frequent Facebook updates and images of his daily life. He posted photos and videos of work in the fields, meals shared with his fellow workers and travels around Israel on his days off.

At times he expressed joy in the work and the environment, and at other times bemoaned the long hours and difficult labor.

On October 7, 2023, at 9:34 a.m., Kraisorn shared one last Facebook post: A video of sirens and Iron Dome interceptions.

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