Israeli Tourist Faces Hostility and Discrimination at Bangkok Restaurant

Ofri Ben Yitzhak, an Israeli woman from Ramat Gan, experienced a threatening encounter in Bangkok shortly before her return flight to Israel. While searching for a late dinner near her hotel, she found a small burger restaurant at a local market and placed an order. After receiving an incorrect dish and waiting further, she noticed a sign on the restaurant’s entrance banning Israeli tourists. Upon confronting the manager to cancel her order, he initially tried to convince her to stay but changed his demeanor aggressively after confirming she was Israeli. He demanded an inflated price for a drink and urged her to leave in a hostile tone, causing her to feel threatened and fearful of being followed back to her hotel.

Ben Yitzhak described feeling helpless and shocked by the overt antisemitism in a place known for welcoming Israeli tourists. She expressed sadness that such blatant discrimination still occurs in 2026. This incident follows a similar case last year on Koh Phangan island, where a restaurant owner was accused of antisemitism after posting a sign barring Israelis, leading to negative online reviews by Israeli travelers.

Thailand remains a popular destination for Israeli tourists, with over 181,000 Israelis visiting from the start of 2026 until early July. The Thai Tourism Authority recently announced cooperation efforts with the Israeli embassy to support this growing tourism sector, expecting arrivals to reach 440,000 by year-end.