13 Sep 2026
Thai People Power forces Israelis to pledge “behavioural change”
BANGKOK: Israeli diplomats in Thailand have been forced to issue statements promising behavioural change by their citizens following angry protests over the mass influx of Israeli “tourists”, encroachment of public lands, establishment of “nominee” companies and multiple other activities now under investigation nationwide.
In a blistering letter to Israeli Ambassador Dr Alona Fisher-Kamm, protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul said the Thai people had run out of patience. He said the thousands of Israelis coming to Thailand — now the fastest growing number of visitors — were not really ‘tourists’ but “combat-trained reservists possessing advanced tactical, combat, and survival capabilities—essentially combatants posing as tourists—accompanied by covert intelligence operatives embedded across key locations.” (See full text of the letter below.)
Clearly suggesting that they posed a threat to national security, Mr Sondhi accused the Israelis of planning to infringe on Thai sovereignty by expanding financial and economic control and influencing geopolitical decisions such as the China-US rivalry. He blasted the ongoing Israeli genocidal carnage in Palestine and asked: “Have you never considered how the global community and people across various nations view you? Do you retain any conscience or sense of humanity at all?”
The protests at the Israeli embassy on Sept 10 came two days after Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow summoned the Israeli ambassador and expressed Thailand’s concerns in more diplomatic language. Briefing the media on the discussion, he said, “Thailand is a country that welcomes tourists; however, this hospitality does not imply that visitors—regardless of nationality—are free to do whatever they please. Tourists visiting Thailand are expected to understand Thai culture and traditions, just as we expect Thai tourists travelling abroad to respect the customs and values of the countries they visit.
“This incident has certainly affected the sentiments of the Thai people. While we do not generalise this as the behaviour of all Israelis, they certainly ought to show greater respect for Thai traditions, culture, values, and ways of life. During today’s discussions, they acknowledged the issue and assured us that they are not taking it lightly, noting that they have already visited the area to provide clarifications. However, in my view, we need to take further action — stepping up our efforts and intensifying our approach. Cooperation is essential; if we fail to address this problem, it could negatively impact the relationship between our two nations.”
The anti-Israel protests came after months of investigations by Thai authorities into thousands of “nominee” companies set up all over the country by Israelis to circumvent a Thai law requiring majority Thai ownership in companies. These “investors”, which also include Chinese, Russians, Indians and others, have used their Thai drivers, gardeners, maids, etc., as on-paper “nominee” shareholders to make their companies “legal.”
On 04 Sept, Thai authorities issued a deportation order against an Israeli after he threatened a French citizen and his Thai wife after an altercation over a “Free Palestine” sign and their refusal of entry to Israelis at their visitor attraction — the Samui Exotic Park on Samui island. A few days later, a deportation order was issued against the Frenchman, too, not over this but other earlier unrelated incidents involving him.
Both the Israeli ambassador and another diplomat have issued statements acknowledging the complaints about the behaviour of their citizens, and promising to address it. But they claim these must be addressed in isolation. They object to accompanying criticism of Israel and the Jewish faith.
They are referring to the explicit anti-Israeli messages on the placards at the protest. But the anger is real. The Thai people have done the Israelis no harm. In spite of widespread global reports documenting their genocide in Gaza, the Israelis get visa-free access to enjoy rest and recuperation breaks in Thailand. According to the protestors, they then allegedly abuse Thai hospitality, violate the laws, stoke socio-cultural tensions, buy land, set up nominee companies and interfere in the country’s internal affairs.
The Israelis are countering by highlighting their “contribution” to the Thai economy by the “tourist” arrivals, now the fastest growing segment of total visitors to Thailand.
In his letter to the Israeli ambassador, Mr Sondhi dismissed this claim. He said, “The assertion that annual arrivals of 300,000 to 400,000 tourists constitute an irreplaceable economic contribution is hollow, as the associated revenue predominantly circulates within exclusively owned Israeli commercial networks. This operates analogously to illicit foreign commercial rings — except while standard illicit operations seek legal loopholes for immediate financial gain, your approach aligns with a strategic agenda of territorial permanence and control.”
The unfolding developments are being watched closely worldwide. They are only the start of what is sure to be a long and protracted battle that will hit Thai Travel & Tourism in ways that cannot be fathomed at this stage.
They are all directly related to the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict, which Mr Sondhi clearly cited in his letter. The Thai Foreign Ministry has maintained its even-handed “friends with everyone” policy on the grounds that Thailand is not a party to the conflict. That said, Thailand has certainly become a victim of the conflict, and will have to deal with it.
The Israelis already are trying to discredit and silence the protestors, which is only exposing all the pro-Israel business leaders, politicians, media, consultants, academics and others in Thai society. They now run the risk of defending Israel and justifying its genocidal carnage in Palestine.
To counter that, the Israeli spin-doctors in Thailand are playing the “Islamic terrorism” card by trying to link the protests to the Thai-Muslim minority. That will complicate the Thai government’s efforts to better integrate the Thai-Muslims as bridgeheads for better relations with Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, the three Muslim-majority ASEAN countries, and the 1.4 billion strong Muslim population worldwide.
I am reproducing the protest letters to the Israeli ambassador here, both the English and Thai versions (with a translation). Some names have been mentioned more specifically in the Thai version, and there are slight nuances in wording, all worth studying closely.