Israeli Man Arrested in Thailand for Running Illegal Kindergarten with 42 Foreign Children

Thai authorities arrested a 55-year-old Israeli man and a 25-year-old Romanian woman on July 4 for allegedly operating an unlicensed kindergarten on Koh Phangan. The raid uncovered 42 foreign children aged between two and six at the "Little Panda" daycare center. The operation was part of a broader crackdown by immigration and police forces in the province targeting foreigners suspected of running illegal businesses.

During the search, officers found children engaged in educational and extracurricular activities supervised by both Thai and foreign staff. This incident follows a similar case reported on June 2, where over ten Israeli citizens were accused of operating illegal businesses on the island. Authorities are intensifying efforts to dismantle transnational crime networks amid growing concerns that such activities threaten national and public security.