Why were so many Thai farmers among the hostages held by Hamas?

Workers from Thailand prune artichoke crops prior to the start of the ritual crop sabbatical, which begins at the Jewish New Year, so the vegetable will be kosher when it sprouts, at Beit Uziel in central Israel, September 14, 2000. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma, File)

By  NEWS BLEND 360

Updated 11:23 PM EST, June 7, 2025

BANGKOK (NB360) — Israel reports it has recovered the body of a 35-year-old Thai hostage who was taken into Gaza during the October 7, 2023, attack that initiated the conflict.

Nattapong Pinta was one of 31 Thais captured by the Hamas militant group. Thailand’s foreign ministry stated on Saturday that Pinta, the last Thai hostage in Gaza, was confirmed deceased. The bodies of two others have yet to be recovered.

The ministry has reported that 46 Thais have lost their lives during the conflict. Thais constituted the largest group of foreign nationals held by Hamas. They were among the tens of thousands of Thai workers in Israel. Here’s a look at their activities.

Why is there a large Thai community in Israel?

Israel once depended heavily on Palestinian workers, but began importing large numbers of migrant workers following the 1987-93 Palestinian uprising, known as the first Intifada.

The majority came from Thailand, and Thais continue to be the largest group of foreign agricultural laborers in Israel today, earning significantly more than they would in their home country.

A decade ago, Thailand and Israel established a bilateral agreement to facilitate the entry of workers in the agriculture sector.

Israel has faced criticism over the conditions under which Thai farm laborers work. A 2015 Human Rights Watch report highlighted that they were often housed in makeshift and inadequate accommodations and “were paid salaries significantly below the legal minimum wage, forced to work long hours beyond the legal maximum, subjected to unsafe working conditions, and denied their right to change employers.”

A watchdog group recently found that most still receive wages below the legal minimum.

What is the number of Thai nationals employed in Israel?

There were about 30,000 Thai workers, primarily working on farms, in Israel prior to the attack by Hamas.

In the wake of the attack, some 7,000 returned home, primarily on government evacuation flights, but higher wages than those available at home have continued to attract new arrivals.

The Thai ambassador to Israel, Pannabha Chandraramya, recently said there are now more than 38,000 Thai workers in the country.

What occurred after some departed?

In response to a labor shortage following the exodus, Israel’s Agriculture Ministry introduced incentives to lure foreign workers back to the vacated areas.

These incentives include extending work visas and offering bonuses of approximately $500 per month.

Thailand’s Labor Ministry approved 3,966 Thai workers to work in Israel in 2024, maintaining Israel as one of the top four destinations for Thais working abroad last year.

Thai migrant workers typically hail from poorer regions of the country, particularly the northeast, and even without the bonuses, jobs in Israel offer significantly higher pay than they could earn at home.