A 24-year-old tour counter worker in Patong has given his account after a video of him confronting an Israeli tourist, telling him "This is Thailand, not your country", spread widely on social media.
The confrontation happened outside a tour counter in Patong, Kathu district, Phuket. The footage shows an Israeli tourist near the counter before an argument develops with a Thai man, who appears angry and tells the visitor to leave.
The video drew a mixture of reactions and criticism online. A reporter later visited the counter and spoke to the worker, identified as Kechin, about what he said led to the exchange.
Kechin says dispute began with misunderstanding
Kechin said he had been working as normal, selling tour packages, and that the incident had no connection to a customer who had bought a rafting trip from him.
He said a Palestinian customer he had served previously had recommended him to a friend and intended to refer more Palestinian customers. A woman known to him had suggested displaying a Palestinian flag when such customers arrived, as a way of building his customer base.
At the same time, an Israeli tourist group was shopping nearby. Kechin said he initially did not pay attention to them and carried on working.
Picture courtesy of Khaosod
According to Kechin, someone in the group then apparently told others that he had displayed a flag to make Israeli visitors leave, or had insulted their nationality.
"That was not the case at all. I did not communicate with them or do anything to them. They came to travel, and that was it," he said.
He said several members of the group later stood outside his shop, looking at him, pointing towards the tour counter and discussing the matter. "At first, I tried to let it go, but it seemed like they deliberately wanted to confront me," he said.
Questions over Palestine led to argument
Kechin said the exchange shown in the video began when people in the group asked whether he supported Palestine and had chosen the Palestinian side.
"I told them, 'No. I just sell tour packages to Palestinian customers,'" he said.
He said one tourist then raised a hand and shouted, "Free Israel", before the argument continued as seen in the viral recording.
Kechin insisted he regularly sells tours to Israeli visitors and does not turn people away because of their nationality. "Israeli tourists also come to buy tours. I serve them normally," he said.
"If they come as friends, I provide equal service to tourists from every country," he added.
Kechin said Israeli tourists are a familiar presence in Patong throughout the year, with some staying briefly and others for longer periods. He said larger groups are especially noticeable on Fridays around Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, where many gather for Shabbat-related religious observances.
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25 August 2026
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