Thailand Foreign Ministry urges Israeli visitors to respect local laws

Thailand has urged Israeli tourists and residents to respect local laws, traditions and customs following a series of incidents involving Israeli nationals that have heightened tensions in several popular tourist destinations.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he held a “frank discussion” with Israeli Ambassador Alona Fisher-Kamm on September 8 over concerns involving some Israeli nationals. The issues included entrepreneurs suspected of using Thai nominees to bypass foreign-ownership restrictions and tourists whose behaviour has caused friction with local communities on the islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, as well as in Phuket, Bloombeg reports.

“Thailand is a country that welcomes tourists, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean tourists, regardless of nationality, can do whatever they want,” Sihasak told reporters in Bangkok after the meeting. He said visitors should “respect Thai traditions, culture and local ways of life.”

Sihasak said Thailand would enforce its laws against foreign nationals regardless of their nationality. Fisher-Kamm acknowledged the concerns and agreed to increase efforts to inform Israeli visitors about appropriate conduct while in Thailand, he said.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the deportation of two foreigners in less than two weeks as authorities take a tougher approach.

The first was an Israeli national convicted by a court on Koh Samui of threatening the owner of a Thai exotic zoo over a “Free Palestine” banner. The government said his conduct posed a threat to public order and good morals.

The diplomatic discussions come as Israeli tourism to Thailand continues to grow. More than 277,000 Israelis visited Thailand during the first eight months of this year, an increase of about 7% from the same period in 2025.

Israeli arrivals rose by nearly 46% last year to 410,125, even as Thailand recorded an overall decline of more than 7% in foreign tourist arrivals.

By Sabina Mammadli