UPDATE: Chabad Patong to hold reduced Rosh Hashanah event from 4pm to 9pm on 11 September

Chabad Patong will hold its Rosh Hashanah celebration, the Jewish New Year, from 4pm to 9pm on Friday, 11 September 2026, at Chabad House Patong only. The Novotel Phuket Resort venue has been dropped, attendance is capped at 800 and the event will end three hours earlier than the original midnight schedule, Nation Thailand reported on 10 September.

The organisers told officials that cancelling was no longer practical because tickets had already been sold, some participants had booked accommodation and preparations had been completed. They said cancellation could cause significant losses and affect Phuket’s image as an international tourism destination, according to Nation Thailand. Provincial authorities assessed that the circumstances did not meet the threshold for using security measures to order the event suspended.

The revised arrangements supersede earlier reports of celebrations running from Friday to Sunday, 11–13 September, at Chabad House Patong and the Novotel Phuket Resort. The Phuket Express had reported an expected 600 attendees at Chabad House Patong and 400 at the hotel, for a total of about 1,000. That figure was lower than an earlier media estimate of up to 2,000. The former attendance figures relate to the two-venue plan and are not a current breakdown.

The Phuket Express also reported that most participants were expected to be Israeli residents of Phuket and tourists visiting during the holiday period. It said the annual celebration had been held peacefully in previous years.

Chabad Patong representatives met authorities on 3 September to coordinate security, according to Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum, commander of Phuket Provincial Police. Earlier reports said police were preparing 50 officers—30 from Patong Police Station and 20 from the provincial investigative unit—with support from local administrative forces. The reported plan included checkpoints at entry and exit points, plain-clothes intelligence teams and rapid-response units, as well as security inside and around the venues, traffic management and responses to incidents affecting public order. Thai Post reported that police and administrative officials would maintain security throughout the revised event.

Authorities had said the celebration did not require formal permission because it would take place on private property rather than in public spaces. The Phuket Express reported that, at the time of its report, police had found no evidence of organised protests or applications for permits to hold public demonstrations, despite social media discussions suggesting possible opposition.

Earlier coverage reported that residents and businesses in Phuket had raised concerns about the planned celebrations. The Bangkok Post said the event had prompted online debate about foreign investment, public order and possible tensions with the local community, amid wider concerns about foreign-linked businesses. The concerns followed a gathering of about 150–200 members of the Protect Phuket Land group in Patong on 28 August. The group called for stricter law enforcement and a review of visa measures for higher-risk visitors. Police and state agencies have inspected the area around Chabad House.

Protect Phuket Land submitted a petition to Phuket authorities on 8 September calling for the celebration to be reconsidered, Nation Thailand reported. The group raised concerns about security, the possibility of violence involving third parties or incidents linked to conflicts involving Israel, and the impact on residents because Chabad House is located within a local community. Nation Thailand said the tighter conditions followed discussions among provincial authorities, security agencies and Chabad Patong representatives.

After the decision to allow the celebration to proceed, the group expressed disappointment and announced plans to protest when the event begins. It also questioned whether the venue could accommodate 800 people, claiming that the site may have capacity for about 700. Organisers have not disclosed the exact number of tickets sold.

Authorities said that, if the group submits a protest request in accordance with the required procedures, a demonstration will be allowed at the same time as the celebration in a designated area away from Chabad House to reduce the risk of confrontation. Thai Post had likewise reported plans for a lawful parallel gathering away from the event. Police, administrative officials and other relevant agencies will be deployed around the celebration and protest area to provide security for participants, demonstrators, local residents and tourists.

Sinlert said contingency plans were in place to deal with any unexpected incidents. ‘We have prepared investigative teams, rapid deployment units, and sufficient manpower to safeguard both residents and tourists during the festival,’ he said.