Nanthawat Pinjai, 26: Thai dairy farmer was 'pillar of the family'

Murdered by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7

Nanthawat Pinjai, 26, an agricultural worker from Ban Lao in the Charoen Sin district of the Sakon Nakhon province in northeastern Thailand, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7.

One Thai survivor from Alumim told Human Rights Watch that a Hamas gunmen who arrived at their living quarters 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, while others were kidnapped to Gaza.

Nanthawa’s family was told by eyewitnesses shortly after the attack that he had been killed, but they did not receive official government confirmation for several weeks.

His body arrived back in Thailand on November 1, and his cremation ceremony was held on November 5. He is survived by his wife, Pornphan Songkaphan, and his parents.

He first arrived in Israel in November 2021 to work in agriculture in southern Israel, sending money back to his family and saving up in hopes of a better future.

Nanthawat, who also went by the nickname “Noockre,” operated a Facebook page titled “NP Agriculture Smile,” where he documented his life on the dairy farm in Alumim.

His father, Boonsuan Pinjai, told a local news outlet that his son would call them regularly “to tell them about the events in Israel,” including rocket attacks, but he always told them not to worry. He described Nanthawat as “the pillar of the family.”

Nanthawat’s mother-in-law, Wanpha, told a news site that she “always admired her son-in-law, that she loves him very much, that he is a good person, and that he cares about his wife and family.”

His wife, Pornphan, wrote on Facebook that contemplating his loss is “the most painful thing.”

“We used to live and share our lives together,” she wrote. “I see the things you told me to do, to create so that we can live together. Thinking about it makes my tears flow. I miss your smile.”