SURAT THANI — In postcard-perfect Surat Thani, home to Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, a local storm has gathered over the past month. What started as quiet complaints about culture clashes has swelled into open anger. Residents have accused some Israeli nationals of breaking laws, ignoring traditions, and creating an Israeli settlement.
On 14 October 2025, the provincial governor ordered a sweeping probe into illegal foreign-run businesses, with a focus on claims that Israeli investors are buying up farmland through Thai fronts to build what detractors describe as an emerging Jewish enclave. Thai officials, proud of their hospitality, say they will enforce the rules, a move that has sparked fierce debate over tourism, sovereignty, and a rise in antisemitic sentiment.
The spark came as Israeli arrivals surged. Immigration data counted 4,030 Israelis in Surat Thani by early October, including 2,548 on Koh Phangan, surpassing some traditional European markets. Visa-free entry for Israelis and Thailand’s pull as a post-service getaway have driven the numbers.
Locals say the boom has strained the islands’ environment and social order. Farmers and family-run operators claim Israeli buyers use “nominee” proxies to bypass foreign ownership rules, snapping up rice fields and coconut groves for villas and private resorts.
At a tense 15 October meeting, Koh Phangan Hotel Association president Naruemon Maisopa warned that farm land was being replaced by pools and party properties, while communities were left to deal with the fallout.
The Raid That Set Everything Off
The investigation began with a dawn raid on 14 October. Tourist police entered a villa in Koh Phangan’s Moo 8 and arrested four Israeli men, all former soldiers, on suspicion of drug possession. Officers said they seized ecstasy pills, traces of cannabis, and party items from what locals described as an all-night event. Residents blamed the gathering for littered beaches and damaged fences.
By 17 October, the push widened. Immigration and provincial police, together with Land Department officials, raided two unlicensed hotels, Hotel Arcana and Laplage Resort. Three Israelis, including managers named Sean Gal and Guy, were taken into custody, along with five Thai and Myanmar workers, for operating without permits and employing undocumented staff.
A fourth Israeli suspect, Yara, was said to be on the run, accused of directing a nominee arrangement that channelled foreign money into the properties. Governor Teerut Supaviboonpol said enforcement covers all nationalities, though most complaints are focused on these islands. The inquiry now includes Koh Samui, with 18 suspected nominee cases across real estate, construction, and tourism, and alleged links to networks from Israel, Russia, and China.
Land deals sit at the centre of the dispute. Early findings from the Department of Business Development suggest more than 200 square wah of farmland in Koh Phangan’s interior changed hands over the past year, often via Thai fronts.
Locals say Israeli buyers plan self-contained neighbourhoods with Hebrew signs, kosher kitchens, and Chabad support, reflecting models seen abroad. District chief Suriya Boonpan called it colonization by holiday, pointing to 2,627 Israeli visa extensions lodged by 23 September, including 181 for business.
Thai law limits foreign ownership in condominiums to 49 percent and bans it outright for farmland, yet locals say enforcement has been weak until now. Governor Supaviboonpol has promised fast evidence-gathering, title revocations, and fines of up to 1 million baht (about 30,000 dollars).
The economic trade-off stings. From January to September, Israelis ranked 12th among arrivals at Samui Airport, with 2,711 passengers, behind Australians and Britons, but they still spend heavily at bars and full-moon events. As one guesthouse owner put it, they fill rooms yet also try to build their own.
Echoes of Pai’s Panic
Thailand has seen similar friction before. In February 2025, the northern town of Pai faced a wave of rumours. Viral posts claimed 30,000 Israelis had flooded the 38,000-resident town, named it a new Promised Land, and built a synagogue as a foothold for settlement.
Images of visitors at the Pai Chabad House, a small centre on leased land, were spread as proof of an organized push. False claims said weapons were being hidden and local temples hijacked.
Officials debunked the stories. Mae Hong Son Tourist Police Inspector Pol Lt Col Suwit Boonyaphen said the 30,000 figure covered annual visitors, not residents. Daily averages were about 83 to 84 Israelis, well behind British and American travellers.
The Chabad centre, one of seven across Thailand, served kosher meals to around 200 tourists a week. It was a prayer space with permits, not a synagogue or a settler base. He also dismissed claims of drug-fuelled parties as baseless.
Even so, Pai suffered. Four Israelis were deported after a drunken brawl at Pai Hospital on 6 February, where staff were abused and the emergency room was damaged. Two others were arrested for performing as unlicensed musicians. Some locals boycotted Israeli-friendly eateries, and several hotels reported around 20 percent cancellations from Israeli guests.
Then Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stepped in on 18 February, saying the rumours were exaggerated. Deputy PM Anutin Charnvirakul visited the Chabad centre on 26 February, praised its cultural outreach, and called for dialogue. Israel’s Ambassador Orna Sagiv also attended, expressed regret over tensions, and reminded visitors to respect Thai norms.
Pai exposed deeper rifts. Clashes over loud bargaining and dress at temples mixed with misinformation. A video from a Chiang Dao music festival was wrongly labelled as a Jewish takeover party.
Hotelier Arvudh Jessadakornkraisorn warned that false rumours hurt tourism, the town’s lifeblood. By March, Israeli visits dropped 15 percent. The episode left mistrust that now echoes in Surat Thani. As Naruemon Maisopa put it, Pai was the warning, Phangan is the reality.
Antisemitism’s Quiet Spread
Thailand’s Jewish community, an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people mostly in Bangkok, has lived and traded here for centuries with little friction. Persian, Iraqi, and Israeli families helped build synagogues such as Bangkok’s Kenesseth Israel in the 1960s and worked in sectors from gems to technology. Chabad centres support travellers and locals alike.
Rabbi Dovber Deutsch of Koh Phangan’s outpost says Thai society values religious harmony, and that open hostility had been rare until now.
The mood shifted in 2025. After 7 October 2023, global spikes in antisemitism reached the region. Israel’s National Security Council raised Thailand’s threat level to potential in November 2024, citing risks from Iranian proxies following the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in Dubai.
By February 2025, claims in Pai morphed into old tropes about Jews fleeing war to colonize Thailand. Social posts on platforms like Blockdit spread myths about Chabad as Mossad fronts.
In Surat Thani, real concerns blur with prejudice. “Save Koh Phangan” groups point to Hebrew graffiti as proof of invasion, while ignoring broader foreign issues, such as Russian communities in Phuket and Chinese investment in Pattaya.
An Intelligence Online report in May 2025 noted former Thai intelligence chief Nantiwat Samart calling for tighter controls on Jews, a comment that overlooked Israeli cyber support for Thai police. Diplomats say ignorance plays a role, yet incidents keep coming.
In October, a Jewish tourist reported being robbed at a full-moon party, saying his Star of David necklace was the reason he was targeted.
An AFP fact-check in February 2025 disproved posts that reused old festival images to allege Jewish plots. The Israeli Embassy has warned that misinformation fuels fear and urged nationals to respect customs and avoid visible symbols in crowded areas.
Equal Enforcement of The Law
Authorities must protect a tourism sector that supports a large share of GDP, while keeping order. The Immigration Bureau’s 24-hour hotline, 1178, has logged more reports of foreign violations since October.
Police Commissioner Lt Gen Phanumat Bunlaksana pledged equal enforcement of the law, saying nominee schemes harm Thailand’s image. By 18 October, officers had arrested eight other foreigners, including Germans and French nationals, sending a message that the crackdown is not aimed at one group.
On the social side, Education Minister Chalermchai Phanlert expanded Holocaust education to counter trends like “Nazi chic” streetwear. The Tourism Authority of Thailand began cultural sensitivity workshops, partnering with the Israeli Embassy on Hebrew guides to local etiquette.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said most Israelis are respectful and that a small minority causes problems. Then Prime Minister Paetongtarn added that Thailand welcomes all visitors, but expects them to follow Thai ways.
There are wider efforts too. Cyber units track online smears and hate. This aligns with calls from Amnesty International in April 2025 to probe alleged state-linked digital harassment, a debate that continues.
After Pai, then Interior Minister Anutin ordered seven-day reviews after any disturbance and faster deportations for offenders.
He said harmony is Thailand’s strength. Still, the islands face real pressure. Koh Phangan’s growth, with tourist numbers up sharply, has strained roads and rubbish systems. Locals want caps on visitor numbers. Governor Supaviboonpol’s task force, which includes police, land officials, and community leaders, aims to find a workable balance by year’s end.
As full-moon lights glow across Haad Rin, the islands stand at a tipping point. Many Israeli travellers, fresh from reserve duty, come seeking calm. Some now hide signs of their faith to avoid trouble. Locals, stewards of farms and coastal forests, want growth that respects their home. Tourism feeds their families, yet they fear losing their way of life.
Thailand’s approach, firm on law enforcement and open to education and dialogue, offers a measured path. Online anger still spreads, mixing facts with rumour. The line between fair criticism and prejudice is thin. Surat Thani’s future rests on clear rules, honest conversation, and equal treatment. The choices made today will shape these shores for years to come.
