Thailand’s prime minister issued a blunt warning to foreigners accused of breaking the country’s laws or exploiting local residents on Thursday, telling them to leave and saying those who come to the country should make an honest living.
“If you come here, come and earn a living honestly,” Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said during a policy briefing at the Interior Ministry in Bangkok. “If you’re going to die, go die back home.” He said foreigners who obey Thai law and do not take advantage of local residents remain welcome in the country.
The remarks came days after four Jewish graves were removed from a cemetery in Chachoengsao province, near Bangkok, following a decision by local authorities not to renew the site’s operating license. They also come as authorities in Phuket conduct a broad review of the local Chabad center, including its land ownership, building permits and commercial licenses.
Anutin did not explicitly direct his remarks at Jews or Israelis. Thai media reported that his comments were made as he discussed wider enforcement against foreigners accused of illegal activity, including the establishment of private cemeteries and religious sites without proper authorization.
The prime minister said foreigners who behave violently, threaten or intimidate others should face the full force of the law. He singled out Phuket and Surat Thani as areas requiring particular attention and instructed provincial governors to use their legal authority against foreigners involved in unlawful businesses or other illegal activities.
Anutin also addressed a request to establish a private cemetery, saying religious sites cannot simply be established independently and must respect Thai law, society and culture. His remarks followed weeks of scrutiny surrounding a Jewish cemetery in Chachoengsao.
The cemetery was originally licensed in 2021, but authorities declined to renew the permit in 2024 after determining that conditions at the site no longer met regulatory requirements. Thai authorities later ordered the structures removed and the four graves transferred to a legally licensed cemetery in Chonburi province.
Anti-Israel protest in Bangkok earlier this month
(Photo: AP/ Sakchai Lalit)
Three of those buried were Israeli men and the fourth was a British woman, according to information released by Thai authorities. One burial took place while the cemetery’s license was valid, while the other three occurred after it had expired. Authorities said the identification was based on grave markers, death certificates, death notifications and passports rather than full forensic identification.
The four graves were subsequently relocated with the involvement of members of Thailand’s Jewish community, Chabad rabbis and representatives of Israel’s ZAKA emergency response organization, with the reburials carried out in accordance with Jewish religious law.
At the same time, officials in Phuket have opened a seven-day review of Chabad Patong. The investigation is examining the center’s land ownership and acquisition, permitted land use, building permits and commercial licenses, as well as whether people connected to the Chabad center overlap with shareholders in the company behind the Jewish cemetery. Authorities have not announced findings of wrongdoing by Chabad Patong.
Anutin said Thursday that he had signed an Interior Ministry deportation order and instructed officials to act immediately when foreign nationals meet the legal criteria for removal. Governors should not delay deportations because of uncertainty over who will pay for an airline ticket, he said, adding that the government could cover the cost.
He also ordered provincial authorities to intensify scrutiny of suspected violations involving foreigners, including the use of Thai citizens as nominee owners of property or businesses, illegal employment and the use of Thailand as a base for criminal activity.
Another issue raised by the prime minister was the reported use of signs barring Thai citizens from entering certain establishments. Anutin told governors to remove such signs where the restrictions are unlawful and said businesses displaying them should face closer examination by authorities.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Anutin stressed that the measures were not aimed at citizens of any particular country. He said Thailand would continue to welcome foreign tourists, residents and investors who obey its laws and contribute to the country, while authorities would act against those accused of exploiting local people or engaging in illegal activity.