Thailand probes Israeli national’s citizenship and Phuket business
The Interior Ministry is investigating whether an Israeli national in Phuket obtained Thai citizenship lawfully and whether a related business used a nominee arrangement.
Thailand’s Interior Ministry is investigating whether an Israeli national in Phuket obtained Thai citizenship lawfully and whether a business linked to him complied with rules on foreign business ownership.
Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwanchawee said the man obtained Thai citizenship about 10 years ago after submitting documents that led officials to conclude he qualified for nationality. The ministry will now examine whether the process was lawful.
The investigation follows a Phuket Times report on 9 August 2026 that said the man had obtained Thai citizenship and a Thai identification card and was operating businesses in Phuket that reportedly generated more than B5 billion in revenue. The report described him as a major businessman and a spiritual and religious leader, and linked him to the founder of a Chabad centre in Phuket.
Polapee disputed the description of the man as a religious leader, saying he owned the property where the Chabad centre was established. He said the property was registered as a business and that the business was suspected of operating through a nominee arrangement. The Interior Ministry will investigate that matter alongside the citizenship issue.
The Phuket Times report also described concerns raised by residents about the number of Israeli nationals in Patong, particularly around Rat Uthit 200 Years Road. It said businesses in the area included kosher restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, laundry shops, barbers, gyms, car rental businesses and travel agencies serving Israeli nationals.
The report said access to the Chabad centre was restricted to Israeli nationals, prompting some residents to question its activities. Those claims and questions led social media users to call for an investigation into businesses reportedly owned or operated by foreigners in Patong.
Polapee said more than one Israeli national holds Thai citizenship but did not provide further details. He urged the public not to be concerned while the authorities investigate and said anyone found to have broken Thai law would face legal action regardless of nationality.
