Israel’s ambassador to Thailand, Orna Sagiv, visited the northern town of Pai in Mae Sot with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The visit aimed to address tensions following several incidents involving Israeli tourists.
The visit followed a set of guidelines released by the Israeli Embassy to guide travellers on avoiding conflicts with local businesses and residents in Pai.
During their time in Pai, Rabbi Nehemia Wilhelm opened the Pai Chabad centre to local media to counter rumours circulating online. Some conspiracy theories claimed that 30,000 Israelis had settled in Pai, viewing it as the “Promised Land,” and accused the Chabad centre of preparing for mass settlements. Other reports falsely alleged that Israelis were digging tunnels and stockpiling weapons.
“These rumours spread widely on social media, including posts from pro-Palestinian groups, and were eventually picked up by major Thai news outlets,” Rabbi Wilhelm explained. He clarified that while about 30,000 Israelis had visited Pai in 2024, only a few hundred were in the town at any given moment.
When asked by a journalist, “Why do you think Pai is the Promised Land?” Rabbi Wilhelm responded, “That’s a misunderstanding. Pai is the Promised Land for Thai people, and Israel is the Promised Land for Israelis. There’s no reason to confuse the two.”
Ambassador Sagiv showed Minister Anutin a wall at the Chabad centre covered with stickers commemorating hostages and fallen soldiers from Israel’s war with Hamas.
She explained, “We understand some people feel upset when these stickers appear, but many Israelis have lost loved ones and use them as a way to grieve. There’s no ill intent behind it.”
She added that the Chabad centre had designated a specific wall for this purpose to discourage placing stickers in public spaces.
Later, a meeting at a Pai hotel brought together around 150 attendees, including local officials, police, military leaders, business owners, Israeli residents, and community members.
During the event, Minister Anutin highlighted that most of the issues stemmed from cultural misunderstandings.
He commended the efforts of the Israeli Embassy and Chabad to educate tourists about Thai customs. “We must also respect Israeli culture,” he said. “Just because someone raises their voice on the street doesn’t mean they’re being rude.”
Ambassador Sagiv shared that, before the pandemic, about 200,000 Israelis visited Thailand annually, a figure that had grown to over 300,000 by 2024. She acknowledged that with such high numbers, a few incidents were inevitable, but it was unfair to judge all Israelis based on the actions of a small minority.
She also noted that some Israeli tourists might unknowingly offend locals due to a lack of understanding of Thai customs. However, she emphasized that Israelis deeply admire and respect Thailand.
She expressed concern about signs at certain establishments prohibiting entry to Israelis, saying they reminded her of “dark times in Jewish history when Jews were barred from places.”
Following her remarks, Minister Anutin echoed her points in Thai, encouraging everyone to move past the tensions and restore positive relations.
Local business representatives also spoke during the event. One representative from the hotel industry mentioned two recurring issues: tourists refusing to pay for food they dislike and the widespread placement of memorial stickers.
The day before, Ambassador Sagiv and Rabbi Wilhelm met with Israeli travellers and residents in Pai. During the meeting, it became clear that many tourists were unaware of local cultural norms. Examples included walking shirtless in public, which is considered offensive, and speaking loudly in the streets.
The message from both leaders was clear: Israeli tourists need to be more mindful of local customs and remember they are guests in Thailand. Rabbi Wilhelm shared, “I’ve been here for 30 years, and we’ve never had issues with Israelis. But when incidents happen repeatedly—like riding motorcycles without helmets or showing disrespect—it builds resentment, and that’s unfortunate.”
Israeli officials expressed hope that this visit would help ease tensions and put an end to the spread of false information.
