Meechai Ritthiphon, 42: Thai farmer hoped to move to Canada
Murdered by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7
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Meechai Ritthiphon, 42, an agricultural worker from the Si Wichai Subdistrict of Sakhon Nakhon Province in northeastern Thailand, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7.
At 6:44 a.m. on October 7, Meechai wrote on Facebook that there was an “emergency for everyone” and that people should seek out bomb shelters. One minute later, he wrote his final post: “They are shooting very hard right now.”
In total, 22 agricultural students and workers from Thailand and Nepal were murdered by the terrorists inside Alumim, and another two foreign nationals were abducted to Gaza. Meechai was slain alongside his friends Tianchai Yotthongdee, Kraisorn Thumyoma and Jakkapan Diawthaisong.
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.”
Meechai’s body was flown back to Thailand on November 1. He is survived by his mother, Nong, and two older siblings.
His family said he had been working in Israel since September 2021. His mother told a local news outlet that Meechai last contacted her on October 7 before the connection was cut. He was eagerly anticipating the end of his five-year contract in Israel, she said, and was planning to seek work in Canada.
The Times of Israel Community.