Dozens honor slain Thai hostage at airport as body flown home after release

By Jessica Steinberg

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22 October 2025, 9:57 pm

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Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

A farewell ceremony is held at Ben Gurion Airport for Thai national Sonthaya Oakkharasri, whose body was returned from Gaza by Hamas, on October 22, 2025 (Avshalom Sassoni/FLASH90)

Dozens gathered at Ben Gurion Airport today to pay respects to Thai national Sonthaya Oakkharasri, whose body was flown home for burial.

Oakkharasri was a 30-year-old Thai worker who was taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, and, according to intelligence, murdered on the same day.

He arrived in Israel in 2018 to work and support his family, first working in northern Israel and later moving to the Gaza envelope. He was set to return to Thailand in October 2023 and dreamed of building his own farm, according to the Hostages Forum.

Oakkharasri’s friends from the Thai community in Israel were in attendance, as well as farmers he had worked with over his years in Israel.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin was present and laid a wreath on Oakkharasri’s coffin, speaking briefly.

Boonyarit Vichienpuntu, Thailand’s ambassador to Israel, said at the ceremony that Thailand regards Israel as a friend.

“We send our people here, and Israelis also want to come to Thailand,” Vichienpuntu said, according to Haaretz. “Even now, after that tragic day, there are many Thai workers in Israel. That shows that we trust and believe in the safety of this country, and we will always stand by your side.”

Vichienpuntu said he spoke with Oakkharasri’s family, who are deeply grateful for everything that was done to bring his body home.

Thai workers like Oakkharasri experienced the trauma and horror of October 7, with Israelis, said Amit Yifrach, Secretary General of the Moshav Movement and Chairman of the Israeli Farmers Federation.

“These are people who had no part in our regional conflict and came here simply to earn a living for their families — and their fate became intertwined with ours,” said Yifrach. “Today, all the farmers of Israel and all Israeli citizens bow their heads in his memory, share in the sorrow of his family in Thailand, and embrace the Thai people, who have paid such a heavy price.”

Following the return of the bodies of Oakkharasri and Nepalese agricultural student Bipin Joshi to their homelands, the bodies of two foreign nationals are still held by Hamas: those of Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak and Joshua Mollel from Tanzania.