Israeli tourists are once again finding themselves at the center of public debate in Thailand. Amid reports of problematic behavior by foreign visitors in Phuket and Koh Samui, Thailand’s tourism minister issued an unusual warning, making clear that authorities would not hesitate to take action against those who break the law or cause disturbances. Local media reports on his remarks specifically mentioned groups of Israeli tourists.
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the government was prepared to work with the relevant authorities to revoke the visas of tourists who cause trouble. Thailand welcomes visitors from around the world, he said, but anyone entering the country must respect its laws and local culture.
The Nation, one of Thailand’s leading English-language news outlets, reported that major tourist destinations such as Phuket and Koh Samui had received reports of groups of foreign tourists behaving inappropriately and causing disturbances — “especially groups of Israeli tourists.” According to the report, such behavior has affected the sense of security, the tourism atmosphere and the image of the local service industry.
The minister stressed that the incidents involved individuals and said his ministry did not intend to ignore such cases or allow them to escalate. Authorities, he said, would be prepared to act swiftly and revoke the visas of tourists who cause problems. He added that the government would not allow tourists of any nationality to use Thailand as a “playground” or turn areas of the country into stages for symbolic displays related to conflicts.
The Bangkok Post also reported on the remarks Tuesday morning, placing them in the context of recent disputes and incidents involving Israelis. The message, however, was not limited to Israelis: The policy described by the minister applies to any foreign tourist who breaks the law or causes confrontations or public disturbances.
The statement comes amid additional criticism in Thailand over the behavior of some Israelis in the country. On Monday, a civic group called “Impatient Thais” submitted a letter to the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok asking it to raise awareness among Israeli tourists and residents of the need to respect local laws, customs and culture.
Members of the group said they had received complaints from residents about cases in which Israelis were allegedly involved in threats, harassment and business and social disputes in Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Pai in northern Thailand. These are allegations made by the group, not a determination by the authorities that all the incidents occurred as described. The group asked the embassy to cooperate with Thai authorities in investigating cases in which Israelis are suspected of breaking the law and to publicly condemn improper conduct.
Thailand is losing patience
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Israeli officials familiar with the issue say the situation in Thailand extends beyond tourist behavior and also involves foreign nationals accused of violating so-called nominee laws — using shell companies registered in the names of Thai citizens but effectively controlled by foreigners. Israelis have been involved in such cases, but they are not alone, and citizens of Western and other countries have also been arrested on similar suspicions.
According to those officials, Thai media sometimes give particular prominence to the Israeli angle, while some English-language outlets also publish views hostile to Israel. They said this was evident, among other cases, in coverage of a confrontation at a Koh Samui zoo, which some reports portrayed as a dispute between two sides even though allegations of violent behavior and threats were also made against the owner of the site.
At the same time, there have also been reports of Israelis facing hostile treatment specifically because of their nationality. According to officials familiar with the issue, there have been cases in which business owners and service providers refused to serve Israelis, asked them to leave stores or declined to take them as taxi passengers. This does not reflect attitudes toward Israelis across Thailand as a whole, but it adds to tensions surrounding the issue in some tourist destinations.
Another incident in Phuket, as reported Tuesday morning:
The latest warning comes as Thailand takes a tougher approach toward foreign tourists who get into trouble. In May, the Thai Interior Ministry instructed authorities nationwide to step up enforcement against foreigners who break the law, threaten local residents or misuse their visas, making clear that serious cases could result in visa revocation and deportation.
Around the same time, the Israeli Embassy in Thailand issued a notice to Israelis visiting Phuket and other parts of the country after local authorities announced stricter enforcement measures against foreign tourists. The embassy urged Israelis to obey local laws and regulations and warned that serious offenses could also result in the loss of their right to remain in Thailand.