Thailand Tightens Rules on Israeli Tourists Amid Public Outcry

Thai authorities have imposed restrictions on a Rosh Hashanah celebration hosted by Chabad in Phuket, limiting attendance to 800 people and requiring the event to conclude by 9 PM. This decision follows pressure from local activist groups, including 'Save Phuket,' taxi drivers, and pro-Palestinian organizations, who had sought to cancel the event entirely, citing security risks and potential geopolitical entanglements.

In parallel, authorities approved a counter-protest near the Chabad event, deploying significant police presence to prevent clashes. The restrictions come amid growing public anger in Thailand directed at Israeli tourists, fueled by social media reports of alleged misconduct, including refusal to pay at restaurants, violent altercations with taxi drivers, illegal property rentals, and traffic violations.

This local unrest coincides with a broader policy shift by the Thai government, which recently reduced the visa-free period for Israeli tourists from 60 to 30 days. While officials maintain this change was pre-planned and not specifically targeted at Israelis, its timing has been interpreted as a hardening stance towards foreign visitors.

Israeli Ambassador to Thailand, Orna Fisher-Kam, met with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to address bilateral relations and sensitive issues. The Thai Foreign Ministry stated that while the stricter law enforcement is not aimed solely at Israelis, recent publicized incidents involving Israeli citizens have negatively impacted local sentiment and demonstrated a lack of respect for Thai culture and way of life.