October 7 · Personal story
Pattanayut Tonsokree
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Israel
Current outcome
Released alive · November 28, 2023
Pattanayut was released alive on November 28, 2023.
01
Life before
Pattanayut worked in Israeli agriculture alongside Thai coworker Owat Suriyasri.
02
Abduction
On October 7, armed attackers forced Pattanayut and Owat onto a motorcycle at gunpoint. The motorcycle crashed on the way to Gaza, and Pattanayut broke a rib.
03
Captivity
Pattanayut was held until November 28, 2023. In a joint reflection with Charoemchai Saengkaew published by the Thai Embassy after their release, they recalled despair and fearing that they would not survive. Speaking with their families and receiving care at the hospital helped them feel their lives were worthwhile again.
04
Return
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that Pattanayut and Owat were released at 11 pm local time. They were taken to Shamir Medical Centre for health assessments. On December 4, he was among six released Thai workers who arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
05
Aftermath
In a January 2024 interview, Pattanayut said he had applied for a new passport and expected to return to agricultural work near Gaza to earn money.