The Israeli Embassy in Thailand has said tourists accused of leaving a Patong restaurant without paying an approximately 8,000-baht bill were not Israeli, following earlier social-media claims about their nationality.
In a statement issued on August 27, the embassy said Patong Police had confirmed that those involved were visitors from Saudi Arabia and Morocco. The embassy urged media organisations and social-media users to check nationalities carefully before sharing such claims.
Claims spread online after Patong bill dispute
The incident involved a group of tourists who ate at a restaurant in Patong, Phuket, then left without paying a bill of around 8,000 baht, according to reports cited by the embassy.
The case was posted on social media from August 19, 2024, where the people involved were identified as Israelis. The claim spread quickly and drew wide public attention.
However, Patong Police Station issued a clarification on August 23, 2024, including details of the tourists' nationalities. Police said the individuals in the report were not Israeli, but tourists from Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
The Israeli Embassy said inaccurate reports published without checking with relevant authorities could cause misunderstanding and serious harm. It warned that such claims could also fuel prejudice and hostility towards Israeli tourists and the Israeli community.
Embassy calls for nationality checks
The embassy called on news organisations, social-media users and the public to verify information thoroughly before publishing or sharing it, particularly when identifying a person's nationality.
Restaurant disputes or allegations of unpaid bills should be handled through the police and venue management, rather than through unverified online accusations about a visitor's nationality.
The embassy's intervention comes after police had already publicly clarified the identities of the tourists involved. Its statement focused on preventing reputational damage to people and communities who had no connection to the alleged restaurant bill incident.
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29 August 2026
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