Public criticism in Thailand over the conduct of Israelis in the country is now being reflected in a new opinion poll, with more than three-quarters of respondents who had heard reports of alleged misconduct or encountered such behavior themselves saying authorities should strictly enforce Thai law against Israelis.
The survey, conducted by the NIDA Poll center and published over the weekend, found that 77.49% of that group supported stricter law enforcement. The results come days after hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok, carrying signs calling for a boycott of Israel and demanding greater enforcement against foreigners who violate Thai law.
Last week: Israel’s deputy ambassador tries to calm tensions
(Video: Israeli Embassy in Thailand)
The survey was conducted from September 8 to 10 among 1,410 eligible voters aged 18 and older in Bangkok and five other provinces: Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Surat Thani, Phuket and Mae Hong Son. Pollsters said respondents were selected using multistage probability sampling and interviewed by telephone.
Among all respondents, 76.38% said they had heard through the media or social networks about allegations of improper conduct or violations of Thai law by Israelis.
Another 5.11% said they had personally encountered such an incident, while 17.45% said they had neither heard of such cases nor experienced one themselves.
Backlash against Israelis grows in Thailand as poll shows support for tougher enforcement
(Photo: AP/ Sakchai Lalit)
The 1,164 respondents who said they had either encountered such behavior or been exposed to reports about it were then asked additional questions.
Among them, 71.22% identified disrespect for Thai law as one of the problems associated with Israelis. Another 46.39% cited rude speech or disrespectful treatment of Thai people, while 45.96% pointed to a lack of respect for local culture.
Some 31.44% cited allegations that Thai citizens were being used as nominees to hold land on behalf of foreigners, while 29.04% pointed to similar arrangements allegedly used to control businesses.
Asked what measures authorities should take, 77.49% of the group favored strict enforcement of the law against Israelis.
Another 45.45% said the permitted length of stay for Israelis in Thailand should be shortened, while 38.49% said the Israeli Embassy should take a more active role in addressing the conduct of Israeli citizens.
Some 23.54% said the Thai government should also examine the national security implications of expanding Israeli communities in certain areas. Respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.
In an unusual move, NIDA published the poll under the English title ‘Jewish people,’ even though the questions and published results referred to Israelis and their behavior in Thailand.
NIDA Poll is the polling center of Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration, a public academic institution that regularly publishes surveys on political and social issues.
The findings were released after public criticism of Israelis in Thailand intensified over the past week.
On Thursday, hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok. Protesters carried signs reading ‘Boycott Israel’ and ‘Thailand is not for sale,’ along with another message addressed explicitly to Jews.
The demonstration was led by media figure and political activist Sondhi Limthongkul, a prominent figure in Thailand’s Yellow Shirt movement, together with other nationalist activists.
Alongside complaints about the behavior of Israeli tourists, protesters raised allegations that Thai citizens were being used as nominees to operate businesses and hold property or land in violation of local law, including on Koh Phangan and Phuket.
They called on authorities to increase oversight and investigate businesses and transactions suspected of using such arrangements.
Amid the criticism, Israel’s deputy ambassador to Thailand, Rami Teplitsky, released an unusual video in Thai saying the embassy was taking reports and concerns surrounding Israelis in the country seriously.
He said the embassy was cooperating with local authorities and had already issued a code of conduct for Israeli tourists, urging them to respect Thai culture and local laws.
The tensions come as the number of Israelis visiting Thailand continues to rise.
More than 277,000 Israelis visited the country during the first eight months of 2026, according to Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry figures cited by The Associated Press, an increase of about 7% from the same period a year earlier.
Israeli visitors generated about $1.2 billion in tourism revenue last year, out of roughly $48 billion earned by Thailand’s tourism industry overall.