Thai man survives throat slitting in Hamas attack in Israel

A Thai man revealed how he survived having his throat slit by a member of the Hamas group in Israel. He arrived home in Thailand yesterday, October 19, and was immediately reunited with his family for the first time in four years after moving to Israel to work.

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) evacuated 136 Thais from Israel, arriving at Don Mueang International Airport at 2pm yesterday. Family members and a number of Thai people were waiting at the airport to welcome the group back home. The authorities prepared four buses to take each Thai back to their home provinces.

The 34 year old Thai man, Wittawat “Jack” Kunlawong, was the very last person to leave the gate to meet his family. Jack had a severe cut to his throat and had to undergo several health checks after boarding.

Jack’s 27 year old wife, Wassana Pimsuwan, and the couple’s five year old daughter Manao were waiting for him at the airport. They hugged each other and cried with joy. It was the first time they had seen each other since Jack left for Israel four years ago.

Wassana revealed that she had been worried and stressed because she had not been able to contact Jack for days. She managed to get in touch with him when he was in hospital in Israel.

Survival experience

Speaking to the media at the airport, Jack recounted the terrifying attack. He explained that he was working on a chicken farm 2 kilometres from the Gaza border. While he was working, the Hamas group raided his workplace and searched for people.

Jack said he managed to escape but unfortunately met a Hamas member as he fled his workplace. Jack saw a knife in the attacker’s hand and tried to grab it. He was stabbed several times as he tried but was unable to do so. The attacker slit his throat and stole all his belongings.

Jack said he lost consciousness and woke with a serious wound to his neck. He did not see any attackers in the area at the time. He thought they had left him there thinking he was already dead.

With the bloody wound, Jack ran from the scene to seek help from a friend, who was 1 kilometre away. His friend administered first aid before taking him to hospital. He was there for three days before he managed to get a flight back to Thailand.

Wassana insisted that she would not let her husband go back to work in Israel. They would work together in the agricultural industry in the Isaan province of Udon Thani. Witthawat reportedly hugged his daughter all the time and kept saying he was happy to be back home.

According to the National News Bureau of Thailand, 1,821 Thai citizens living in Israel have arrived in Thailand. Eight bodies of the Thai victims who lost their lives in the incident have just arrived today.

Follow more of The Thaiger’s latest stories on our new Facebook page HERE.