Israeli ambassador plays down protests after Phuket Rosh Hashanah event cancelled

Israel’s ambassador to Thailand, Alona Fisher-Kamm, has played down recent anti-Israeli protests while urging cooperation to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from spreading to Thailand.

Speaking to AFP on 15 September 2026, Fisher-Kamm said it was difficult for her to describe the situation in Thailand as antisemitic, citing what she called the country’s tolerance. She acknowledged, however, that there had been “cases of disrespect” and “misbehaviour” involving some Israeli visitors, describing a possible culture gap between Israelis and Thais.

Protests have been held outside the Israeli embassy in Bangkok in recent weeks. At a rally led last week by Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the ultra-royalist Yellow Shirt movement, some demonstrators carried signs reading “Jews Out” and “You Jewish folks don’t understand Thai culture, so get out”.

In Phuket, a dinner organised to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, was cancelled at the last minute because of fears of violence. Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, a special envoy on antisemitism for the US State Department, said on X that he was “deeply concerned by rising anti-Semitic rhetoric in Thailand”.

Fisher-Kamm said social-media activity was amplifying incidents and seeking to separate Israelis and Thais. She met Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow last week to discuss ways to reduce tensions.

The protests have focused mainly on alleged disrespect for Thai customs by Israeli tourists. On Koh Samui, a Frenchman and his Thai wife made headlines after banning Israeli visitors from their zoo, citing alleged poor behaviour. The Thai government ordered the Frenchman’s deportation last week, referring to several issues including the risk that his actions could stir religious division.

Thai media have also reported allegations involving Israeli nationals and Thai proxies used to circumvent restrictions on foreign ownership of land and businesses. These reports included an allegedly illegal school on Koh Phangan, known as “Little Tel Aviv” because of the number of Israelis living there, and a Jewish cemetery where bodies were allegedly buried after its licence expired. Fisher-Kamm said the incidents were being taken out of proportion.

The Israeli embassy has produced Hebrew-language brochures outlining conduct rules for visitors and is distributing them through social media, airlines and travel agencies. Sihasak said Thailand’s welcome applied to all nationalities but did not mean tourists could do anything they wanted.

More than 420,000 Israelis visited Thailand last year, according to the report. Fisher-Kamm said many Israeli tourists were seeking to stay as far as possible from the conflict, adding that Europe might not be as appealing to them as it once was.