The Koh Phangan district, in Surat Thani Province, has revoked the visas of three more Israeli tourists. The individuals are accused of brandishing religious flags, organising gatherings via WhatsApp, and distributing leaflets for activities on Koh Tao, causing panic and concern among residents, operators, and tourists.
The Koh Phangan district, in Surat Thani Province, held the 5th meeting of the committee responsible for examining and screening the behaviour of foreigners present on the territory of the kingdom.
Chaired by Mr Paisit Thongchim, the district chief of Koh Phangan, the meeting brought together representatives from immigration police, provincial police, the police stations of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, as well as the mayors of the two sub-districts and local authorities.
At the end of the discussions, the committee decided to revoke the visas of the following three nationals:
MR. MENAHEM MENDEL HARAMATI (American national, Israeli origin), MR. DAVID CHAI SHMUEL VAKNIN (Israeli national) and MR. ISRAEL CAROLINSKY (Israeli national).
The alleged acts concern the public display of flags bearing religious symbols, invitations to gatherings via the WhatsApp app, and the distribution of leaflets to organise activities on Koh Tao island.
These actions have caused significant concern and genuine panic among tourism operators, the local population, and visitors, risking disruption to public order and threatening security in the Koh Tao sub-district.
The committee unanimously approved the revocation of the visas of the three foreigners and the transmission of the file to the commander of Immigration Police Region 6 so that legal measures can be applied as soon as possible.
Mr Paisit Thongchim reminded that the district had already revoked 13 visas of foreign tourists in recent weeks for inappropriate behaviour and that it was continuing enhanced surveillance to ensure the safety and confidence of visitors.
The authorities call on the public to report any suspicious behaviour via the emergency lines of the tourist police or immigration.