Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Alona Fischer-Kamm has acknowledged that Israeli tourists are behaving badly in the country amid growing unrest within local communities over their conduct, which culminated in a protest outside the Israeli embassy in Bangkok last week.
“There is no doubt there is a serious problem here. We have to admit it,” Fischer-Kamm told Ynet.
“Insulting people, shouting, arguments, music and noise in the middle of the night. There is a feeling that Israelis think everything is allowed.”
The ambassador also referenced a recent survey of 1,410 Thais that found 77 per cent supported stricter law enforcement against Israelis.
She said that one of the reasons for the negative perception of Israelis is the increase in Israeli tourism.
“Between 2024 and 2025, the number of Israelis visiting Thailand rose by 40 per cent, while tourism overall declined,” she said.
“Statistically, the more Israelis there are, and the more concentrated they are in certain places, the more visible incidents become.
“We are working to impress upon Israelis the importance of respecting local law and culture and behaving appropriately.”
But she also called out an unfair focus on Israelis, which she labelled a social media “pile-on”.
“It can involve highlighting Israeli cases over others, recycling old stories, fake news or incidents being attributed to Israelis even when they have nothing to do with them.”
The embassy has raised the issue with Thai authorities, she added.
“Every case must be dealt with, and the goal should be zero incidents. This is not an excuse. But there is a focus on Israel, and we assume there are actors behind some of it.
“There are areas where the numbers show significant Israeli involvement, such as illegal land purchases, and there are serious cases. But the focus is on Israelis.”
The ambassador cited a recent case involving the arrest of 20 people for real estate offences, six of whom were Israeli. “On social media, the headline became: ‘Six Israelis arrested,’” she said.
The protest outside the embassy was another example. “If the demonstration had only been about improving Israeli behaviour or opposing the presence of Israelis in Thailand, then chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and insults against Jews should not have been there,” she said.
And she sent a message directly to Israeli tourists in the interview, saying: “First of all, respect the local culture. Enjoy Thailand, but at the same time obey the law.
“Thailand sometimes gives an impression of enormous openness and liberalism, but something that is acceptable on the beach may not be acceptable in the city. For example, walking around in a swimsuit.
“We need to be responsible in our behaviour, know the law, and study it if we are not sure. Thais are very sensitive about their culture.”
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