Thailand has revoked the visa of an Israeli national linked to the dispute surrounding Samui Exotic Park on Koh Samui, where authorities are also investigating a claim that 500,000 baht was offered for information that could lead to harm against the park’s French manager.
The decision comes as Thailand’s government adopts a tougher stance toward foreign tourists who violate the law or become involved in confrontations in the country.
Thailand’s government adopts a tougher stance toward foreign tourists
(Photo: shutterstock)
Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul announced the visa cancellation ahead of a Cabinet meeting in Bangkok. He said authorities in Surat Thani province, which includes Koh Samui, had reported the case to the government, after which the Israeli’s visa was revoked and he was no longer permitted to remain in Thailand. The minister described the move as a firm step intended to prevent the dispute from escalating further.
The controversy centers on Samui Exotic Park, a zoo on Koh Samui run by French national Kevin Dimino and his Thai wife. Dimino displayed a Palestinian flag at the site and signs stating that Israelis were not permitted to enter the park. A confrontation later developed with an Israeli resident of the island. Videos posted online appeared to show Dimino assaulting the Israeli and head-butting him.
The dispute quickly escalated beyond the gates of the zoo. Dimino said he and members of his family had received threats and that his mother’s home in France had been set on fire. At the same time, police opened an investigation into an allegation that an Israeli offered 500,000 baht in exchange for information that could lead to an attack on the park manager.
Israelis expelled from Koh Samui zoo
(Video: Social media)
Authorities subsequently deployed security in the area and began considering measures against those involved.
The visa cancellation follows an unusually sharp warning from Thailand’s tourism minister to foreign visitors after a series of incidents at popular destinations across the country. He said Thailand welcomes tourists of all nationalities, but anyone who violates the law or provokes confrontations could lose their visa and face deportation. The minister stressed that each case would be examined individually and that authorities would not judge all tourists from one country based on the conduct of a single person.
Alongside enforcement measures, Thailand is also seeking to prevent confrontations before tourists even arrive. According to the minister, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has approached embassies and airlines asking them to help provide visitors with information about Thai law, customs and local culture before they enter the country.
So far, there has been no report that Dimino’s visa has been revoked or that any equivalent action has been taken against him, although earlier reports said authorities were considering canceling visas and deporting people involved on both sides.
That disparity stands out given the videos showing the zoo manager attacking the Israeli and his stated policy of barring Israelis from his business. The Koh Samui dispute has become one of the most prominent recent examples of tensions involving Israeli tourists in Thailand.
Alongside allegations against Israelis involved in confrontations and violations of local law, there have also been complaints of hostile treatment by business owners and service providers.
Thai authorities, for their part, say enforcement is being carried out on an individual basis and without regard to nationality.