18 May 2025
Palestine activist group in Thailand demands visa curbs on Israeli “war criminals”
Bangkok — Activists for Palestinian statehood are calling for curbs on the open-door visa-free entry extended to the thousands of Israeli “tourists” visiting Thailand, many of whom are mentally unstable soldiers suspected of war crimes. The move should pave the way for the same issue to be raised in other Asia Pacific countries such as Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Nepal, Japan, Korea and Taiwan which also give visa-free access to Israeli citizens.
In her closing remarks at the Nakba Commemoration Day 2025 at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT), Associate Professor Dr. Adisara Katib, Chair of the Thailand branch, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said, “Thailand is a beautiful country with her nice and friendly people living harmoniously in a pluralistic society. However, Thailand is not a place to harbour or give sanctuary to war criminals. You cannot just commit horrendous crimes in Palestine and then come to Thailand, taking a vacation in our country.
“No it’s not going to work that way. These war criminals must be held accountable for their atrocious crimes, crimes against humanity. So, for those who seek justice for the Palestinian people, don’t let them get away with it. Don’t even let them think they can get away with it.”
Associate Professor Dr Adisara Katib, head of PSC Thailand
Although the event’s prime focus was on the legal actions against Israel being pursued in the International Court of Justice by countries known as The Hague Group, the nearly two and half hour discussion broadened to include multiple cultural, commercial, diplomatic and geopolitical ripple-effects of the upcoming global clash between supporters of Israel and Palestine.
Having butchered thousands of children and innocent civilians in Gaza, the Israeli government is attempting to walk away scot-free, thwart justice, silence dissent and eliminate opposition. As that above-the-law, zero-accountability position of impunity is facing growing global anger and pushback, it sets the stage for a multi-level conflict that will impact Travel & Tourism on numerous fronts.
Israeli companies are heavily involved right across the travel and tourism chain, from security companies to start-up investors, booking engines, OTAs, payment gateways, PR and Communications, real estate asset owners and managers, lawyers and financial consultants, branding and marketing services, giving them access to vast amounts of data and intelligence. Their role is now set to come under greater scrutiny as the pro-Palestinian movement gathers steam.
Led by South Africa, The Hague Group includes Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia and Senegal. The case against Israel was filed in December 2023. According to the preamble of the FCCT event, “In January 2024 the court passed an interim ruling that there was a plausible case to answer for genocide. Fifteen months later, Israel continues to exact terrible retribution with major materiel support from the U.S.”
The South African Ambassador to Thailand Mr. Darkey Ephraim Africa, was due to appear but cancelled at the last minute after being advised by his Foreign Office that the case was still still subjudice. However, both him and Mr. Pat Bourne, Ambassador of Ireland, sent messages of support.
The panel was expertly moderated by Assistant Professor Nicholas Ferriman of Mahidol University, and a Founding Member, PSC Thailand. He and Mr. Ian Hollingworth, Member, PSC Thailand also delivered the opening presentation on “The World’s Most Livestreamed Genocide.”
The chart below shows that Israel visitor arrivals have rebounded after the Oct 2023 attacks.
Source: Ministry of Tourism and Sports
One of the main presentations was on “Accountability and Israeli War Criminals in Thailand,” by Mr Abou Jahjah, Chairman, Hind Rajab Foundation, which is working to end the culture of impunity against the ongoing genocide and ensure accountability.
Mr Abou Jahjah said the Foundation had compiled vast documentation of the many public statements by senior Israeli military officials and politicians about their intentions to ethnically cleanse Gaza, as well as the audio-visual selfies recorded by Israeli soldiers, both men and women. He said the Foundation had nearly 20,000 soldiers on its databases who could be made to face legal action for crimes ranging from looting to extrajudicial killings. “It’s sure that some of them will be coming to Thailand on holiday,” he said.
He said Thailand and Brazil are the most popular destinations for the Israeli soldiers. Mainly young men and women, they are responsible for kidnappings and torture, with blood on their hands. He said he would not feel safe sitting in a restaurant sitting next to one of them. He called them aggressive, psychologically-destroyed individuals, many of them suffering from PTSD, victims of their own geopolitical and ideological machinery.
“The level of insensitivity they are showing in the crimes they are committing is astonishing. It’s a ticking time-bomb,” Mr Abu Jahjah said.
It’s not just Israelis, he said. Dual-citizen Israelis in the military include 24,000 Americans, 6,000 French, 4,000 Turks and many others from the Jewish communities worldwide. They, too, need to be held accountable. “This is a global responsibility. All these countries have their citizens carrying out genocide in Gaza.”
He said when these perptrators travel abroad, the Hind Rajab Foundation files legal cases against them. “We have done so in many countries including Thailand. One case was actually filed but the suspect left the country in a hurry.
He admitted that the legal process was long and drawn out and requires a lot of patience in the face of many legal hurdles. He noted that Thailand was not party to the Rome statute (click here for full details on that legal instrument) which potentially gives Thai authorities grounds to justify taking no action.
He said the best course of action was via grassroots pressure and solidarity movements which are growing worldwide and are critical to making countries move. “The good news is: The dam of impunity that has been built around these Israeli war criminals is starting to crack. It is up to all of us to widen these cracks,” Mr Abu Jahjah said.
Another speaker, Mr Kannavee Suebsaeng, Member of Parliament, Fair Party, which is in the opposition, agreed with that view. He stressed that his comments were motivated by the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and were not to be construed as a political statement.
He said Israel’s extensive commercial and economic interests in Thailand made it very difficult for Thailand to support any legal action. Moreover, he pointed out, Thailand had recently hosted the head of the Myanmar junta who has an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Court of Justice. That alone was a clear indicator that the kingdom would not take any action.
The issue of visa-free access to Thailand was raised by this editor in the Q&A. In addition to the provable security threat the Israelis pose, visa-free access also contradicts the diplomatic principle of reciprocity, under which Thai citizens should get visa-free access to Israel, but do not. Instead, they face significant obstacles, including intrusive interrogations and security checks, both at the point of application and point of arrivals.
Mr Kannavee agreed that there were grounds to take that up through Parliamentary channels, which he promised to do.
Ms Apoorva Gautam, Asia Pacific Coordinator, BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) National Committee, spoke on the topic of Ethical Tourism Against Apartheid. She rued the slow pace of the legal processes, noting that the offenders walk free while the victims have to work hard to get justice. The only way to get policy change is through grassroots pressure, she said.
She said Immigration laws have to be changed to enable Israeli “tourists” to be asked about their involvement in genocide and war crimes. She noted that two Israeli soldiers were denied entry into Australia on these grounds. A hotel in Kyoto has also reportedly turned away Israeli visitors. Businesses will need to start examining the implications of dealing with suspected war criminals. No business leader will want to be called out on this, she said.
She said the BDS movement is growing in ranks as more activists worldwide join the cause, including in Thailand.
Another speaker was Dr. Muslim Imran, Director, Asia Middle East Center for Research and Dialogue (AMEC) who discussed some of the historical and geopolitical background of the long-simmering conflict.
The panel discussion offered valuable insights on the emerging issues, risks and threats facing countries in the broader context of the global geopolitical upheavals. Well worth studying in detail.