Israeli-linked land deals probed in southern Thailand

Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwanchawee says he will personally investigate reports of Israeli-linked companies buying land worth nearly 100 million baht in Thailand's three southern border provinces.

Speaking on September 22, Polapee also said officials were widening checks on Chabad centres across Thailand, including completed sites and projects still under construction.

Checks underway at Chabad sites

Polapee said authorities were examining around eight or nine Chabad locations nationwide. Provincial governors have been instructed to check construction permits, whether companies holding land are operating legally, and the funding behind projects.

In Phuket, an inspection led by the provincial governor identified apparent irregularities involving permits for extensions and other structures that may not have received proper authorisation.

Operators will have 30 days to provide the required applications or documents. If they do not, the affected structures will have to be demolished, Polapee said.

The Phuket inspection also found imported products being sold without labels or Food and Drug Administration approval. Relevant agencies were preparing paperwork to seize the goods, he added.

Checks are also under way at Chabad sites elsewhere in southern Thailand, where residents have raised concerns about existing and proposed developments.

Polapee questioned how Chabad centres or synagogues were funded, saying they did not generate income and that officials wanted to establish where construction and upkeep money had come from. He said the ministry's previously identified network had now been mapped in greater detail, with another meeting planned with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to examine its reach.

Southern land purchases to be examined

Several MPs had given Polapee information about what they described as a network involving Israelis, including companies linked to cemeteries and other businesses, acquiring land in the three southern border provinces.

He said he would visit the area to establish who owns the properties, where the purchase funds came from, which companies were involved and what they planned to do with the land.

Polapee also wants to discuss the businesses concerned, citing worries that activities conflicting with local religious or community interests could cause further problems.

In Krabi, where residents have raised concerns about a Chabad project, he said he shared their concerns. The Department of Provincial Administration and the provincial governor must gather information and explain the project's purpose to residents. If they cannot resolve the questions, he said he will inspect it himself.

Bangkok projects show no major issues so far

Preliminary checks at a Chabad site on Phra Athit Road found no underground construction, despite earlier reports of a basement. The second and third floors were being used as accommodation for Israelis, and no irregularities had been identified.

At a Chabad House project in Sukhumvit Soi 22, plans include three underground parking levels and a five-storey building. Polapee said it used the notification procedure under Section 39 bis of the Building Control Act 1979.

After discussions with the Bangkok governor, no irregularities had been found, although the required setback from the road may need correction. Further information will be checked with Bangkok officials.

Picture courtesy of Khoasod

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23 September 2026