The protest against Israelis in Thailand is escalating, and this time it is explicitly targeting Chabad institutions as well. Two demonstrations took place on Saturday on Phuket Island: The first in the morning outside the Chabad House in Patong, and the second, a rally attended by hundreds of people, was held in the afternoon and evening at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town. Calls to close Chabad centers and impose restrictions on Israelis visiting the country were at the center of the protest.
In the morning hours, protest activists gathered outside the Chabad House in Patong. They read a statement opposing the activities of Chabad institutions and the presence of Israelis in the area, demanding increased oversight of businesses and properties linked to Israeli entities. Police officers secured the location. The protesters chose to demonstrate outside the Jewish center specifically on Saturday, the community's day of prayer and rest.
Later in the day, the focus of the protest shifted to Saphan Hin, where a rally was held under the slogan "Taking Back Thailand." According to local reports, approximately 400 people and representatives of about 20 organizations and protest groups participated. Attendees waved Thai flags, and speakers took the stage for hours.
In Thai media coverage of the event, a sign displayed in the crowd showed an illustration depicting a stereotypical Jewish figure alongside an Israeli flag, surrounded by money and politicians - an antisemitic depiction of a takeover through money. On the stage, an image of an ultra-Orthodox Jew wearing a hat was projected against the backdrop of an Israeli flag.
'Limit Israelis to 15 days'
The keynote speaker at the rally was Sondhi Limthongkul, a veteran media figure and political activist, and a former leader of the "Yellow Shirts" movement. Limthongkul demanded that entry for Israeli tourists to Thailand be limited to just 15 days on a single-visit basis.
He accused Israelis of harming local businesses, operating businesses that primarily serve other Israelis, and driving away European tourists. He further accused the government of subservience to Israelis and hinted at hidden agreements with Israel, without presenting evidence.
Other activists voiced even harsher demands. Saichol Noochot, a leader of the Phuket Land Protection protest group, demanded the closure of all Chabad houses in Thailand and the revocation of Thai citizenship from Israelis who had become naturalized citizens in the country. Protest organizers presented Chabad houses as part of what they termed an "Israeli network" that must be acted against. No evidence was presented for the sweeping claims, and the demands do not reflect government decisions.
Limthongkul is the same protest leader who led a demonstration of hundreds of participants on September 10 outside the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok. Blatantly antisemitic signs were seen at that demonstration as well, including "Jews Out" and "You Jews do not understand Thai culture, so get out." Additional signs targeted Jews, Israelis, and Israel, with one displaying an Israeli flag crossed out with an X. Protesters waved Thai flags and chanted "Taking Back Thailand."
At that same demonstration, Limthongkul read a letter addressed to the Israeli ambassador demanding increased oversight of Israelis and investigations into the activities of Chabad houses and land purchases linked, according to his claims, to Israeli entities. He declared that Thai hospitality is not a license for foreigners to do as they please in the country. Now he is demanding sweeping entry restrictions on Israelis.
Chabad head in Thailand lost his citizenship
The current protest comes against the backdrop of an unusual step by the Thai government: Just last week, on October 28, Thai Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed an order revoking the Thai citizenship of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor, head of Chabad in the country for more than three decades.
Kantor, an Australian native who grew up in the United States and also holds American citizenship, arrived in Thailand in 1993 and became a naturalized citizen in 2013. His citizenship was revoked in an unusual and controversial move on the grounds that he continued using his American passport for trips to Australia. According to authorities, he did so 16 times since becoming naturalized. Chabad announced it would challenge the decision through legal channels. Chabad centers continue operating as usual.
Concurrently, authorities in Phuket conducted repeated inspections regarding the activities of the Chabad House in Patong, including the use of the building, licenses, and financial transactions. An initial inspection published in late September found no irregularities in the financial transactions examined, although certain deficiencies were identified in the building's use. The findings did not substantiate the sweeping claims raised by protest organizers.
In his speech in Phuket, Limthongkul also claimed that 40,000 Jews reside in the northern Thai town of Pai compared to roughly 30,000 local residents - a figure inconsistent with known population data for the location.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis visit Thailand
Israel, for its part, emphasizes the close relations between the countries: Approximately 450,000 Israelis are expected to visit Thailand this year, and around 60,000 Thais work in Israel - double their number prior to October 7, 2023.
Alongside efforts by authorities to calm tensions and clarify that enforcement against foreigners is not specifically aimed at Israelis or Jews, the repeated raids on Chabad houses and the revocation of Kantor's citizenship raise concerns of a self-feeding cycle: The protest increases pressure on authorities, and enforcement actions on their part risk further fueling hostility toward Israelis in the country.