Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Sihasak Phuangkitkiu, summoned Israeli Ambassador Alona Fisher-Kam to the ministry’s headquarters, where he expressed to her the Thai government’s dissatisfaction and concern about the behavior of some Israelis in the Kingdom.
The minister told reporters during a briefing that followed his meeting with the ambassador: “Thailand welcomes tourists, but hospitality does not allow tourists to behave as they please. Tourists of all nationalities, including Israelis, must respect Thai culture and values, and Thais traveling abroad must respect the rules and regulations of the country they visit.”
The Deputy Prime Minister indicated that the issues discussed in the meeting with the Israeli ambassador related to incidents and abuses involving Israeli citizens visiting Thailand for short or long periods.
He stressed that these incidents are linked to the actions and behaviors of Israeli tourists and residents that offended the feelings of Thais regarding their culture, traditions and way of life, especially in the provinces of Phang Nga, Phuket and Surat Thani (on the islands of Samui and Phangan), where Israeli communities congregate. He also said that the meeting also discussed incidents related to violations and illegal activities carried out by Israeli citizens in Thailand.
"These problems cannot be overlooked or passed on," Vuangkitkiu stressed.
The minister explained that he indicated to the Israeli ambassador that the law would be applied strictly and without discrimination against any Israeli or foreign citizen who violates Thai legislation.
"An example of this is the recent deportations of Israeli Yaakov Ohayon and Frenchman Kevin De Minaur, who displayed threatening and disruptive behavior while in Thailand," he said.
The minister indicated that he has now begun work on preparing documents that include rules and prohibitions for Israeli tourists visiting Thailand. These documents will be distributed through the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Thai Consulate General in Jerusalem, Israeli tourism companies that send their citizens to Thailand, and the airlines cooperating with them.
Anti-Israel sentiment has risen sharply among Thai citizens in recent months, especially in tourist areas with dense residential concentrations of Israeli residents and areas frequently frequented by Israeli tourists. The Thai Internet and Thai-language social media have spread stories of Israelis refusing to pay bills in restaurants under false pretexts, videos of Israeli tourists literally saying, “We bring a lot of money to Thailand, so we can do whatever we want here,” and other similar incidents.
In several restaurants and tourist facilities in southern Thailand, signs appeared reading: “Citizens of Israel are not served.”
As for the Israeli citizen Yaakov Ohayon, whom the Foreign Minister mentioned, he was recently deported from Thailand due to a days-long dispute with the owners of a small zoo in Surat Thani province, where he publicly threatened to physically harm them. In addition, Thai courts are currently hearing criminal cases against a number of Israelis on charges of conducting illegal business and using fictitious Thai persons to register their companies.
