Phuket governor orders seven-day probe into Chabad Patong operations
The investigation will examine land ownership, permits, construction approvals, commercial licensing and possible links to a cemetery company.
Phuket Governor Chotnirin Kerdsom has ordered a comprehensive investigation into Chabad Patong, giving relevant agencies seven days to report their findings.
The review will examine land ownership, land-use permits, building approvals and commercial licences linked to the organisation. Phuket Deputy Governor Ruamdon Hayiawa, the provincial spokesperson, said authorities would also examine shareholder records for possible overlap with a company involved in a foreign cemetery project.
The order follows remarks by Deputy Interior Minister Polpree Suwanchawee, who said the cemetery company was founded by three Israeli nationals who also hold Thai citizenship and own the land in question. Authorities believe the company may be linked to Chabad Patong, according to the report.
Officials said the investigation would be conducted under Thai law and that the findings would be made public after the review. They also said the enforcement action was not directed at any nationality or religious group, but was intended to establish whether Thai regulations had been followed.
The investigation comes amid local opposition to a Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashana, event organised by Chabad Patong on 11 September 2026. The activist group Protect Phuket Land petitioned provincial authorities to reconsider the event, citing concerns about public safety, the community and tourism.
