Full coverage· Politics· Updated 00:53

Thailand Revokes Rabbi's Citizenship Amidst Investigations

Thailand's Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has signed an order revoking the Thai citizenship of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor, the country's Chief Rabbi and head of Chabad. The decision, signed on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, is based on Section 19(2) of the 1965 Thai Citizenship Act, which allows the revocation of naturalized citizenship if an individual continues to use their prior nationality. The Ministry of Interior and the Department of Special Investigations documented 16 instances where Rabbi Kantor used his American passport to travel to and from Australia after obtaining Thai citizenship in 2013, with the last trip occurring on January 26, 2026.

10 newsrooms · 4 languages · since 29 Oct, 08:50

Plus

Thailand Revokes Rabbi's Citizenship Amidst Investigations — Illustration by baba

Podcast · 8 minOn this morning’s Good Morning, Israel

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Photos · 3

Photos the newsrooms posted about this story, and the ones the IDF and Magen David Adom released.

Official photos are free. 3 more with Plus.

What happened

01Thailand's Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul revoked the citizenship of Chief Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor.
02The revocation was based on Rabbi Kantor using his American passport 16 times for travel to Australia after obtaining Thai citizenship in 2013.
03Rabbi Kantor has served as the chief Chabad emissary and Chief Rabbi of Thailand since 1993.
04The decision follows early October raids by multiple Thai government agencies on Chabad institutions and Jewish community centers in Bangkok.
05Investigations are examining business registrations, financial transactions, and potential circumvention of foreign ownership restrictions.
06Protests featuring anti-Israel slogans have recently targeted the Chabad House in Patong, Phuket.
07Chabad Thailand expressed sorrow over the decision and stated they are challenging the revocation through legal channels.

This development follows a series of raids and investigations by over ten Thai government agencies, including the police, tax authorities, and immigration, targeting Chabad institutions in Bangkok. In early October, authorities raided the Bangkok Chabad Foundation, "Gan Chabad" offices, the Association of Thai Jews, and the Beit Elisheva Synagogue complex. Investigators seized business documents and examined company registrations, financial transactions, and potential circumvention of foreign ownership laws, though no criminal findings have been reported to date. Additionally, protests featuring anti-Israel slogans have occurred against the Chabad House in Phuket.

Rabbi Kantor has served as the chief Chabad emissary in Thailand since 1993, making the country his home for over three decades. Chabad Thailand expressed sorrow over the decision but stated they respect the Kingdom of Thailand, its laws, and its institutions. The organization announced that the matter is being handled through legal channels, and their centers continue to operate normally.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 9 newsrooms. Updated 04:08