Report Israeli Tourist Sparks Outrage Over Shoe Rule Dispute in Thailand

[frank83628]

3 hours ago, freedomnow said:

This subject keeps getting deleted on reddit...people getting warnings every second comment...hot topic.

 

There was a really funny AI toy figure of the woman generated with her ciggies and shoes..."May moonnney!" see this thing more and more....there was a "passporbro one" for the guys getting drugged with scopolamine in Meddelin...Guy in designer shirt/$100s moneyclip/drug bag/hot chick on hinge app on phone screen ....they are so spot-on as visual comments...if you have not seen the images they are so funny.

 

[steven100]

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  I have often seen people walking into shops and staff not bothered whether shoes are removed or not and they have never gotten confrontational about it .

  Besides , it was stated that she was allowed to wear shoes inside anyway

stop with the apologetic's for her disgusting behavior....  ur also making a fool of yourself. 

she's Israeli,  that's enough for most to know why.  

[stupidfarang]

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  She didn't get asked to remove her shoes though , she had a foot injury and the shop owner said she could keep her shoes on .

   Why not show the full video ?

You last sentence contradicts the previous sentence 

It would be interesting to hear the cafe owners comment on this, am sure it will pop up on Thai news

[ChipButty]

Young Israeli women have done 2 years in the IDF, talk about arrogant, I love a woman in a uniform, 

 

 

[stupidfarang]

13 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That clip does show her as very obnoxious in that clip.

However, if it is true that she did get permission from the staff to keep her shoes on, it really isn't about Thai culture. It's about a specific conflict that happened in the shop perhaps with other Karen like customers.

To me that's the key.

As I've implied before the shoes off thing in businesses is actually much more flexible in real life than many may realize. When you live here you become expert in seeing when it's a very serious no exceptions thing vs. actually the business not really caring much at all either way.

The owner has not commented, will be interesting when they do, yet I think it is more about her comment "my money built Thailand". As for your comment about businesses being more flexible in real life, I would disagree, it is more a case of not wanting to confront the person. As a person who lives here I know reading a Thai persons thoughts compared to what they say is an art and a tourist may not have that skill.

[impulse]

5 hours ago, Hummin said:

Thailand is not the place if you have any specific ocd of kind

 

I had mine with public toilets, but getting better by the years

 

Don't feel bad.  I, too, have a phobia about taking my shoes off in a public toilet in Thailand.

 

[impulse]

15 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Many tourists feel this way.  They are so much better then the low poor Thais and Thais should kiss up to them. Disrespectful, sickening and shameful attitudes.

 

Mostly, it's the ones with a nice rack.  And it's not just in Thailand that they feel superior and entitled.

 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, stupidfarang said:

wrong, Thais do not like shoes being worn inside the house, if a shop, cafe etc... has a sign asking you to take of your shoes then people will respect their request. If you do not follow the request, then they may not say anything as they do not like confrontation yet will not be happy.

When you visit another country, respect their culture, very easy to do, do not stoop to “I have more money than you comment” just makes you look very stupid and is insulting.

 

As for being targeted for being Jewish, one called say she targeted the cafe workers because they are Thai and she thinks she is superior than them.

  

  The shop owners stated that they didn't mind if she wore shoes or not 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

stop with the apologetic's for her disgusting behavior....  ur also making a fool of yourself. 

she's Israeli,  that's enough for most to know why.  

 

  If the shop owners aren't bothered about it , I don't know why you are  

[Yagoda]

Who knows the back story, but at least its another chance for the usual jew haters to preen and posture.

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, Jim Blue said:

Shut their pie holes ...charming turn of phrase  . Thought it was a low class tourist for a second !

You find "shut their pie holes" offensive?

Wow, it seems like a very harmless expression to me.

Can't imagine how you function in society if that expression offends you.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, stupidfarang said:

it is an insult 

 

  Tourists money has indeed helped Thailand to develop . 

Many felang retirees also claim that their pension money keeps Thailand afloat and without their input of 30 000 Baht a month , the Thai economy would collapse

[BritManToo]

15 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Many tourists feel this way.  They are so much better then the low poor Thais and Thais should kiss up to them. Disrespectful, sickening and shameful attitudes.

Cant say I'm all that keen to share foot disease with Thais.

But hey, if they insist they want my verruca's and athletes foot ....... enjoy! 

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Tourists money has indeed helped Thailand to develop . 

Many felang retirees also claim that their pension money keeps Thailand afloat and without their input of 30 000 Baht a month , the Thai economy would collapse

Can't speak for the Thai economy, but it certainly prevents my wife & kids from having to live in her family's corrugated iron hut.

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Who knows the back story, but at least its another chance for the usual jew haters to preen and posture.

Thought the girl looked quite attractive.

[Patong2021]

There are good reasons to keep shoes on in some establishments. I do not go barefoot in Thailand. 

That being said, she should of just said ok, sorry, I will leave now.  And yes she handled it poorly.

 

And question for the finger pointers. Did you miss the  shirtless fellow? He is probably sweating all over the pillows. Why is no one making a fuss over that man?

 

 

[fredwiggy]

7 hours ago, Lorry said:

Not only tourists...

Many posters have posted things in the line of "my money builds your country".

And most posters here seem to think that a person who doesn't speak English is something subhuman 

I haven't noticed that, especially regarding most posters. Some have had trouble communicating here but not to the point of saying anyone was subhuman.

[factual monk]

She lacks education in normal civic behavior and norms... plus she speaks bad with arrogance... her parents should have given her better grooming ways to life.

[BMW Overlander]

4 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Targeted for being Jewish/Israeli .

Most probably instigated and filmed by an enemy .

Thais are usually non plussed about shoes being worn or removed

She also states that the restaurant owner was OK with shoes being worn .

Its quite likely that she was responding to some unsavory abuse unrelated to the shoe issue .

   An example of what Israelis have to deal with and  a reason why they aren't always friendly to non Israelis 

Yeah, poor Jews, it is always everybody else's fault. Next thing, they will start killing people here for not adhering to their "norms".

[Daniel 2]

6 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

OMG....no wonder she wanted to keep her shoes on.....

Now I understand the meaning of "Chosen one" hahaha 

[alfredwilliams]

I remeber the days when visitors to germany had to comply to certain rules

[fredwiggy]

2 hours ago, Mason45 said:

I visit my wife's family members in Korat 5-6 times every year. The thing that gets me in most cases their feet are dirtier than their shoes.

Have noticed the same many times. True about the dirty feet, and that means the floors are also dirty where they're walking. Though it is a custom here and there's nothing wrong with taking your shoes off before entering another's house, as it does keep the floors clean, as well as respect in temples. If you see shoes outside the door, take yours off. Simple.

[Yagoda]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Thought the girl looked quite attractive.

yeah used to be a lot more young Israeli reservist bikinied hardbodies around the pool before the war. Needs to end so they come back.

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

There are good reasons to keep shoes on in some establishments. I do not go barefoot in Thailand. 

That being said, she should of just said ok, sorry, I will leave now.  And yes she handled it poorly.

 

And question for the finger pointers. Did you miss the  shirtless fellow? He is probably sweating all over the pillows. Why is no one making a fuss over that man?

 

 

 

   The shop owner didn't mind or complain , it was some other customers who made a fuss .

  She kept her shoes on for medical reasons .

Maybe she had a bad foot for  kicking so many terrorists asses ?

[Dionigi]

4 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Do you know what "most probably" means ?

If you did, then you wouldn't be asking me to provide any evidence 

possibly misusing most probably when you mean possibly. most probably means likely to be true needing evidence, possibly means conjecture or opinion and not needing evidence.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

stupid nonsense 

Agreed.... storm in a tea-cup

[fredwiggy]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

stop with the apologetic's for her disgusting behavior....  ur also making a fool of yourself. 

she's Israeli,  that's enough for most to know why.  

To know why what?

[watchcat]

15 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Many tourists feel this way.  They are so much better then the low poor Thais and Thais should kiss up to them. Disrespectful, sickening and shameful attitudes.

 

What are you on about, disrespectful Thais? Idiot tourist who like to jump up and down and listen to stupid music all night long so nobody of the locals can sleep

during a Full moon "party,  what are you lot atronomers?

[BritManToo]

11 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

yeah used to be a lot more young Israeli reservist bikinied hardbodies around the pool before the war. Needs to end so they come back.

Come on dude, those girls were all a bit chubby, it was the guys that were all ripped.

I actually asked one of them "how come you're ripped, but all the girls are a bit chubby?"

He replied, "they don't make the girls run all day wearing full packs, they get to sit around in camp"

[newbee2022]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Picture courtesy of MGR Online

 

An Israeli tourist's refusal to adhere to a "shoes off" rule in a Koh Pha Ngan café has stirred a social media storm, highlighting growing tensions surrounding tourist behaviour in Thailand. The incident, captured on a 15-second video shared by the Koh Pha Ngan Conscious Community Facebook page, shows the tourist engaging in a verbal altercation with café staff after being asked to remove her footwear before entering.

 

The video, now widely circulated online, begins with the woman asserting that Israeli tourists play a crucial role in bolstering Thailand's economy. Instead of following the simple request, she suggested that their contribution to tourism should exempt her from such local customs. This disregard for the cultural norm of removing shoes—a common practice meant to maintain cleanliness and show respect—sparked immediate backlash.

 

Viewers, both Thai and international, quickly condemned the behaviour as entitled and disrespectful. The incident fuelled existing frustrations, as Israeli tourists have recently been at the centre of several similar controversies throughout Thailand, with locals calling for more respect from their international guests.

 

After the footage went viral, the tourist released a statement attempting to explain her actions. In a defensive narrative, she argued that her comments were misinterpreted. Her statement read, "I was trying to emphasise how much Israelis contribute to the Thai economy, not to belittle the culture." She added that she had received verbal and physical aggression from others at the café and stressed that her footwear was kept on only because of foot pain.

 

She also claimed that the person who filmed the encounter was another customer, not a staff member, and maintained that she had initially been given permission to keep her shoes on by the café personnel. The tourist further accused those who recorded the disagreement of distorting the situation and omitting the context of her alleged mistreatment.

 

Despite her explanation, the apology has largely fallen on deaf ears. Critics argue that her attempt to shift blame and context only exacerbates negative perceptions of Israeli tourists, who have been criticised for frequent disruptive behaviour in the region.

 

The incident has ignited broader discussions on social media about the need for tourists to respect local customs and the potential long-term impact such disputes could have on Thailand's tourism industry. As tension mounts, many wonder what measures can be implemented to foster mutual respect and understanding between local communities and their international visitors.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-06

 

 

A small country with hordes of misbehaving people. Terrible.😨