BANGKOK: Thailand has denied online rumours that a northern town in the kingdom is a “promised land” housing over 30,000 Israelis amid tensions between the local community and foreigners.
“We have already verified that this is not true,” Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Tuesday (Feb 18) as quoted by local news outlet Bangkok Post when asked if the Pai district is becoming a “promised land” for the Israelis.
“Next week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Anutin Charnvirakul will visit the area to get a full picture of what is happening in Pai,” she added.
Thailand’s police have also set a seven-day deadline for officers to investigate foreign nationals living in Pai for alleged illegal activities and causing public disturbances, amid a growing number of complaints directed at Israelis living there.
Pai is located in the Mae Hong Son province, about 130km and three hours drive north-west of downtown Chiang Mai.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Mae Hong Son Tourist Police had denied social media claims that Israeli tourists had established a “promised land” in the Pai district.
Posts widely shared on Facebook, according to news outlet The Nation, had also alleged that around 30,000 Jewish people had settled in Pai and built a Jewish synagogue or a Chabad House.
Mae Hong Son’s tourist police inspector Suwit Boonyaphen clarified that the 30,000 reported figure refers to the total number of Israeli visitors over the past year, not a permanent settlement, The Nation reported.
According to 2024 statistics, Pai had 221,776 foreign tourists, with Israeli nationals ranking second at 31,735, as reported by The Nation.
The report however claimed that actual figures may be lower, because of duplicated statistics due to tourist movements between resorts as the estimated number of Israeli tourists in Pai is closer to 2,000 to 3,000 a year.
Pai, a popular tourist destination known for its natural scenery, has a population of approximately 38,000.
Suwit also confirmed that a Chabad House, a Jewish community centre, operates in Pai but he stressed that it was established to cater to visiting Jewish tourists and not as a sign of permanent Jewish settlement, highlighting that Thailand has six other centres located in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Koh Pha Ngan and Bangkok.
Mae Hong Son police chief Songkrit Ontakrai also echoed Suwit’s statement and dismissed complaints that the house was being used for drug-related activities or illicit parties, The Nation reported.
Following complaints, police officers were ordered to inspect the Chabad House, located right behind Pai police station on Feb 11, the Bangkok Post reported. They found no evidence of illegal activities or major gatherings at the location.
Separately, on Feb 13, Thailand’s Immigration Bureau deported four Israeli nationals for misconduct at Pai Hospital, according to The Nation. The issue garnered public attention after a doctor shared a post on Feb 4 highlighting the individuals’ recurring disruptive behaviours.
“These tourists regularly smoke on hospital property, steal items, and have damaged our emergency room doors,” the doctor wrote on Fe. 4, as quoted by Khaosod.
“When they do come for treatment, they often refuse basic medical procedures like blood tests and wound care, making it extremely difficult for our staff to help them.”
The four Israeli nationals – identified as Daniel, Aviv, Or Emanoel, and Dan Nisko, had allegedly intimidated medical staff and attempted to enter restricted areas on Feb 2, as confirmed by Pai police officers after reviewing security footage.
They were each fined 3,000 baht (US$89) for harassment and causing public disturbance but Immigration Police Commander Lieutenant General Phanumas Boonyalak subsequently ordered the revocation of their visa permits and their deportation on Feb 6, Khaosod reported.
They left the country from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Feb 13.
Following the incident, several businesses in Pai, including restaurants, had also put up “No Israel Here” signs, refusing service to Israeli nationals, The Nation reported.
The incident at Pai hospital had also reportedly prompted more social media complaints, over Israelis allegedly causing a nuisance across the town.
“The complaints say they are drunk and rowdy … they steal,” police major Kriengkrai Sansalee told the South China Morning Post.
“(People say) they come in large groups, spend a little and bargain a lot. Local businesses are affected the most because when they come, other tourists go elsewhere,” he added.
As of February this year, 13 Israelis had been charged and deported for crimes ranging from theft to public nuisance, he added, according to the report by South China Morning Post.
Local media had reported earlier that representatives of the local communities had filed a petition to the Pai police chief and the Pai District Office on Jan 8, claiming that they are affected by the presence of foreign tourists.
According to the Bangkok Post, these representatives requested a probe and legal action against foreigners allegedly working without proper authorisation or holding noisy parties.
