Protest Against Israelis Escalates With Large Phuket Demonstration Planned

Organizers of a protest against Israelis and Jewish institutions in Thailand are preparing for a large demonstration in Phuket on Saturday. The event is scheduled to take place between 4:00 PM and 10:00 PM at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket Town, with activists from approximately 20 local and national organizations expected to participate. Among those anticipated is Sondhi Limthongkul, a prominent political figure in Thailand and a former leader of the "Yellow Shirts" protest movement.

Protest organizers have intensified their rhetoric against Israelis and Jewish institutions. Saichol Noochnet, identified as one of the protest leaders, has called for the expulsion of individuals associated with Chabad from Thailand and the "uprooting" of what he termed the "Israeli network" in the country. The organizers accuse Chabad and Israeli entities of illegal business activities and asset appropriation, though local authorities' investigations have not substantiated these broad claims.

The planned demonstration follows a protest held in September outside the Chabad house in Patong, which drew hundreds of participants and featured anti-Israel and anti-Jewish chants. A Rosh Hashanah meal planned for hundreds of Israelis was canceled at that time due to fears of violence.

Currently, there have been no reports of new concrete threats or unusual security preparations by the police for the upcoming event.

Authorities have warned that asset freezes and forced land sales could occur if legal violations are discovered. As of now, no assets have been seized, and no criminal charges have been reported against the Rabbi in connection with the company investigations. Chabad has stated that they are pursuing legal avenues regarding the citizenship revocation and that Chabad houses in the country continue to operate normally.