A mother from Khon Kaen is awaiting the body of her son, a worker in Israel who died of heart failure after leaving a bunker. Efforts are ongoing to repatriate his remains to their hometown. The mother said she had no premonition whatsoever.
At 14:00 on 4 March 2026, a reporter visited a house in Mancha Khiri District, Khon Kaen Province. It is the home of Mrs. Somphan Prajit, 72, mother of Mr. Amnat Prajit, 34, a Thai laborer who had gone to work in agriculture in Israel and passed away on 1 March 2026.
Mrs. Somphan revealed that Amnat was the youngest of three siblings. The eldest son works in South Korea, the second son works in northern Israel, while Amnat worked in southern Israel. He had been married for about one year before leaving for work in 2024. He earned about 40,000 to 50,000 baht per month and worked for approximately one year and four months before his death.
For this overseas work trip, Amnat borrowed 260,000 baht to cover travel expenses. When he earned income, he sent money to his wife to pay off the debt. He has nearly paid off the loan, with about 40,000 baht remaining. He intended to buy a tractor to work in his hometown once the debt was cleared.
The mother said that after going to Israel, Amnat called her every day, always reminding her to take care of her health and wait for his return, telling her not to die. He was the family's main support and regularly sent money for her to use. Their last conversation was on 28 February 2026, a normal call with no indication of trouble.
On Sunday, 1 March 2026, she waited for contact from Amnat all day, but he did not call. She called him back but got no answer and did not suspect anything at first. At 22:00 that night, his wife called to inform her that Amnat had passed away. Shocked, she asked for details. The next morning, on 2 March, she contacted the second son to verify the information. It was learned that the previous Thursday, Amnat had been bitten by a dog and received one injection from a doctor, then returned to his accommodation. The doctor advised him to return if he experienced dizziness or fainting. After the injection, he showed no abnormal symptoms and continued working normally.
On Saturday, a day off, Amnat rested at the workers' camp. On Sunday, a workday, he told colleagues he felt dizzy and requested to take the day off. That same morning, the war broke out. Amnat took shelter in a bunker with his employer's wife. When the situation calmed, they returned to their lodging.
The employer's wife said she heard a crying sound near the camp but thought it was a cat and paid no attention. Around 17:00 Israel time (about 22:00 Thailand time), when coworkers finished work and could not find Amnat, they searched and found his body in the bathroom, naked, leaning against the wall with his neck bent over the toilet. His body was already stiff. They promptly informed his wife, who then called his mother in Thailand.
Mrs. Somphan added that after learning the details, she informed her sons of her wish to bring Amnat's body home for funeral rites. However, Israel's airports are currently closed due to the war, preventing repatriation. They must wait for the situation to improve and airports to reopen.
The second son has informed the Thai embassy, the employment agency, and Amnat’s employer. All parties have expressed readiness to assist with the repatriation process but face challenges due to internal travel restrictions in Israel, including mandatory sheltering during air raid alarms. This situation has caused great anxiety for the family awaiting their son's body, eager to hold religious ceremonies at their home.