Israeli Family Barred and Assaulted at Samui Exotic Park in Thailand Amid Entry Ban

Tourism police in Koh Samui, Thailand, are investigating an incident where an Israeli family was denied entry to Samui Exotic Park after revealing their nationality. Moran and Nohar, residents of Rosh HaAyin, visited the zoo with their two young daughters during a vacation. Upon stating they were from Israel, staff reportedly told them Israelis were not allowed to enter. When the family tried to persuade the staff to let them in, an employee allegedly physically assaulted the father in front of his children, including headbutting him in the neck. The family also reported that a placard was thrown at them as they left, and the daughters were left very frightened.

The park owner’s social media account previously posted a message explicitly banning Israelis, citing past behavior by Israeli visitors as the reason rather than political motives. This followed an earlier July incident where the park displayed a Palestinian flag and a "Free Palestine" sign, which led to threats from an Israeli tourist and a wave of negative online reviews. The owner maintains the park welcomes all nationalities but expects visitors to respect its rules. Recent videos from the park show a sign with the Israeli flag marked "No Entry" alongside a shooting target symbol, intensifying the controversy.

The investigation by local authorities continues as the incident has drawn attention to the park’s discriminatory policy and the physical altercation involving the Israeli family.