Picture courtesy of Samui Map Info

 

A restaurant on Koh Samui has denied accusations that it removed a group of Israeli tourists, after a viral social media post alleged they were ejected in protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza. The controversy has sparked widespread debate and placed the venue at the centre of an online backlash.

 

The claims first emerged when a strongly worded post circulated on Instagram and Facebook, describing the Israeli diners as “IDF soldiers” and urging others to boycott them. The post accused the restaurant of refusing service, saying: “We must not allow war criminals involved in the genocide of Palestinians and the murder of tens of thousands of children in Gaza to taint our restaurant.” It also thanked supporters for standing “with the brutally murdered Palestinian children.”

 

The post drew mixed reactions online, with some users praising what they saw as a political statement, while others condemned it as discriminatory and xenophobic. The incident raised broader questions about whether tourism businesses in Thailand should take a stance on international political conflicts.

 

In response, the Wishing Tree Koh Samui, a Turkish restaurant, issued a statement on 1 October 2025 rejecting the allegations. It clarified that the events in question took place on 26 September 2025 at about 17.30, during the absence of the owner. According to management, the altercation was between a guest “who, based on the video evidence, spoke in Moroccan Arabic and Dutch” and a group of Israeli diners.

 

The restaurant stressed that its staff were not involved in the dispute and did not ask anyone to leave. “False claims have been circulated suggesting that our restaurant refused service to Israeli guests. These claims are entirely baseless and do not reflect the values, policies or practices of our establishment,” the statement said. Management added that video evidence confirmed the restaurant had not recorded or shared the footage in question.

 

Reaffirming its stance, the restaurant declared: “Our restaurant is committed to welcoming and serving all guests equally, without discrimination of any kind, regardless of nationality, religion, or identity.” The situation has highlighted tensions between international political issues and local tourism, with calls for businesses to remain neutral and provide inclusive service.

 

[Insert video here if available]

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Wishing Tree Koh Samui denied claims it ejected Israeli diners.

• Management said the incident was between guests, not staff.

• The controversy has sparked debate on politics and tourism.

 

Related Article

 

Israel-Palestine-row-hits-Thai-restaurant-on-Koh-Samui

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from TheThaiger 2025-10-02

 

 

 

 

 

Now losing too much business.  

Reminds me a bit of that lolly, Bono, spouting his nonsense to all and sundry about all the injustice in the world.

 

Suck it up buttercup and get on the winning team.

Politics aside I have heard from many in hospitality that Israelis can be the worst, always demanding everything for free. The restaurant has the right to ask people to leave for anti social antics.

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

15 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

Now losing too much business.  

Best to keep politics out of restaurants

According to management, the altercation was between a guest “who, based on the video evidence, spoke in Moroccan Arabic and Dutch” and a group of Israeli diners.

 

Looks like another representative of the religion of peace, or "Hamas supporter"

This report makes sense. Highly unlikely the restaurant would eject paying, well-behaved customers.

The voices of hate I heard did not sound Thai. I assume it was a dispute between two sets of diners, and believe the restaurant.

38 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Best to keep politics out of restaurants

Crimes have nothing to do with politics

41 minutes ago, Tailwagsdog said:

Politics aside I have heard from many in hospitality that Israelis can be the worst, always demanding everything for free. The restaurant has the right to ask people to leave for anti social antics.

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

Activists in Australia big problem at the moment, burning Jewish bussines and synagogues 

Big problem getting well out of hand 

Whether the world likes it or not protests are going mad globally 

58 minutes ago, Tailwagsdog said:

Politics aside I have heard from many in hospitality that Israelis can be the worst, always demanding everything for free. The restaurant has the right to ask people to leave for anti social antics.

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

First, thank you for your support of Israel, the world has gone mad now where everything of an Israeli name to it is being treated with hate and disdain and many Israelis are reused service in many countries around the world,

Israelis are known as a ' deal crunchers' always looking for the best deal and best bargain they can get, but never for free or make troubles when unable to get it,

But when your name has been tarnished and sullied already all over the world owing to the Gaza business, then anything an Israeli will do will be scrutinized and mocked it, human nature.

28 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Crimes have nothing to do with politics

How about the Charlie Kirk assassination?

5 minutes ago, ezzra said:

First, thank you for your support of Israel, the world has gone mad now where everything of an Israeli name to it is being treated with hate and disdain and many Israelis are reused service in many countries around the world,

Israelis are known as a ' deal crunchers' always looking for the best deal and best bargain they can get, but never for free or make troubles when unable to get it,

But when your name has been tarnished and sullied already all over the world owing to the Gaza business, then anything an Israeli will do will be scrutinized and mocked it, human nature.

My son went to the Glastonbury music festival which he enjoyed, asked folk waving 'Palestinian' flags' why they were doing so!!

Their reply it were solidarity with the Palestinians who were suffering from Israeli attacks on them, my son mentioned the October 7th attack on a music festival just like this one (Glastonbury) were 1,200 were murdered and raped with 250+ kidnapped as hostages.  Their reply were "Fake news, it never happened" 

 

Israel sure has lost the information and propaganda war?

2 minutes ago, tmd5855 said:

My son went to the Glastonbury music festival which he enjoyed, asked folk waving 'Palestinian' flags' why they were doing so!!

Their reply it were solidarity with the Palestinians who were suffering from Israeli attacks on them, my son mentioned the October 7th attack on a music festival just like this one (Glastonbury) were 1,200 were murdered and raped with 250+ kidnapped as hostages.  Their reply were "Fake news, it never happened" 

 

Israel sure has lost the information and propaganda war?

I wish many here will read your post, and when they will, they will brand you as a 'jew lover and a genocide supporter'.

1 hour ago, Tailwagsdog said:

Politics aside I have heard from many in hospitality that Israelis can be the worst, always demanding everything for free. The restaurant has the right to ask people to leave for anti social antics.

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

I have heard that report too, yes, they can appear as obnoxious, but most of it is simply their mannerisms, part of their upbringing, they are just a bit too direct for many people, especially the Thais, who never dare call out or complain for fear of losing face. Besides that,  Booting out an entire nationality is their prerogative, but it STINKS!

I ma sure the Israeli's will become exponentially more attractive as the number of Indian and Chinese tourists increases and the reduction in Western Europeans and US citizens declines further as they discover gems like Vietnam and their offerings to tourists. I don't hear many stories of those damn Communist Red Viets booting out certain nationalities....besides, it is ugly, it makes your country and your people appear ugly.

6 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I wish many here will read your post, and when they will, they will brand you as a 'jew lover and a genocide supporter'.

1977 -2015 worked overseas in the Merchant Navy then offshore in Asia and the Gulf so worked with Sunni, Shia, Christian, Hindu and Buddhists.  

Found the average "Joe" wanted to work, get paid, go home and be safe with their family, shared the hospitality of many creeds whom I worked with so have no 'anti' in me.

1980 working in West Africa (aged 25) met a child survivor of the death camps, his horrific experiences suffered over 'years' affected me, I am not a 'Jew Lover' more a friend of the 'Jews' told me so much after getting to know me, will never forget his eyes.

Nope. It did not happen. We did not do that. You guys are all wrong. As a Westerner I can accept blame, apologize for an offense caused and take responsibility for my actions. No big deal. I care not one iota if I "lose face". Means less than zero to me what others think of me. Some will say it is a cultural difference. True. But, what about the deeper aspects of self esteem and having enough of it to be able to act like a man? A real man accepts responsibility for problems he has caused. When that is being constantly deflected due to a pathological fear of looking bad in the eyes of others, that creates enormous problems for society. I despise the practice of face, and think it is the single greatest weakness of many Thai people. 

33 minutes ago, tmd5855 said:

My son went to the Glastonbury music festival which he enjoyed, asked folk waving 'Palestinian' flags' why they were doing so!!

Their reply it were solidarity with the Palestinians who were suffering from Israeli attacks on them, my son mentioned the October 7th attack on a music festival just like this one (Glastonbury) were 1,200 were murdered and raped with 250+ kidnapped as hostages.  Their reply were "Fake news, it never happened" 

 

Israel sure has lost the information and propaganda war?

F.ck of Propaganda war, there are 10thousands of killed Palestinansians in Gaza, this dont count for you!? What a shame!

2 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

Politics aside I have heard from many in hospitality that Israelis can be the worst, always demanding everything for free. The restaurant has the right to ask people to leave for anti social antics.

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

 

It goes back decades.  I first heard this in the 1980s: when trekking in Nepal people stop at tea shops, which serve food and may offer other things, like a cot to sleep on.  So in such signs written in English appeared "Israelis must pay when ordering."   And this is literally in the back of beyond.  It had nothing to do with politics, the people up there wouldn't know Israel from Idaho.

 

Take a holiday to samui and phangan yourself to come to your own conclusion of how 'nice' these tourists are. It's a huge pain in the ass and ruined entire areas, the complaints I used to have with certain other groups like Chinese or Indians, is nothing compared to this.

 

Some schools not even have places for Thais anymore as their kids essentially colonized those too. Is all not even about their war, it's their behavior.

17 minutes ago, ujayujay said:

F.ck of Propaganda war, there are 10thousands of killed Palestinansians in Gaza, this dont count for you!? What a shame!

Nobody is talking about other innocent victims eg Thais being killed and kidnapped. The reaction of Israel on the October 7th attack was very predictable, and probably exactly what Hamas wanted.

What happens in Gaza is terrible. Hamas should ask themselves if it was all worth it

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

 

Picture courtesy of Samui Map Info

 

A restaurant on Koh Samui has denied accusations that it removed a group of Israeli tourists, after a viral social media post alleged they were ejected in protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza. The controversy has sparked widespread debate and placed the venue at the centre of an online backlash.

 

The claims first emerged when a strongly worded post circulated on Instagram and Facebook, describing the Israeli diners as “IDF soldiers” and urging others to boycott them. The post accused the restaurant of refusing service, saying: “We must not allow war criminals involved in the genocide of Palestinians and the murder of tens of thousands of children in Gaza to taint our restaurant.” It also thanked supporters for standing “with the brutally murdered Palestinian children.”

 

The post drew mixed reactions online, with some users praising what they saw as a political statement, while others condemned it as discriminatory and xenophobic. The incident raised broader questions about whether tourism businesses in Thailand should take a stance on international political conflicts.

 

In response, the Wishing Tree Koh Samui, a Turkish restaurant, issued a statement on 1 October 2025 rejecting the allegations. It clarified that the events in question took place on 26 September 2025 at about 17.30, during the absence of the owner. According to management, the altercation was between a guest “who, based on the video evidence, spoke in Moroccan Arabic and Dutch” and a group of Israeli diners.

 

The restaurant stressed that its staff were not involved in the dispute and did not ask anyone to leave. “False claims have been circulated suggesting that our restaurant refused service to Israeli guests. These claims are entirely baseless and do not reflect the values, policies or practices of our establishment,” the statement said. Management added that video evidence confirmed the restaurant had not recorded or shared the footage in question.

 

Reaffirming its stance, the restaurant declared: “Our restaurant is committed to welcoming and serving all guests equally, without discrimination of any kind, regardless of nationality, religion, or identity.” The situation has highlighted tensions between international political issues and local tourism, with calls for businesses to remain neutral and provide inclusive service.

 

[Insert video here if available]

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Wishing Tree Koh Samui denied claims it ejected Israeli diners.

• Management said the incident was between guests, not staff.

• The controversy has sparked debate on politics and tourism.

 

Related Article

 

Israel-Palestine-row-hits-Thai-restaurant-on-Koh-Samui

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from TheThaiger 2025-10-02

 

 

 

 

 

A Dutch/Moroccan guest complained, that sounds more like it. Mulisms seem to cause problems wherever in the world they go and the reason is that too many people indulge them. Either that or they're frightened of them. 

3 minutes ago, boloaf said:

A Dutch/Moroccan guest complained, that sounds more like it. Mulisms seem to cause problems wherever in the world they go and the reason is that too many people indulge them. Either that or they're frightened of them. 

I used to think Israeli's were high educated respectable decent people for the majority part, they behave just like muslim arabs, in case you don't know. Russians are saints compared to the behavior on average.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Nope. It did not happen. We did not do that. You guys are all wrong. As a Westerner I can accept blame, apologize for an offense caused and take responsibility for my actions. No big deal. I care not one iota if I "lose face". Means less than zero to me what others think of me. Some will say it is a cultural difference. True. But, what about the deeper aspects of self esteem and having enough of it to be able to act like a man? A real man accepts responsibility for problems he has caused. When that is being constantly deflected due to a pathological fear of looking bad in the eyes of others, that creates enormous problems for society. I despise the practice of face, and think it is the single greatest weakness of many Thai people. 

Why do you drag Thais into this? Have you looked at the FB for posts, with the very articulate (non AI) letter explaining it was not a worker, but an unhinged customer who ranted at the Israelis, including Allahu Akbar, as they were leaving. 

So over deluded extremists and Western useful idiots who blithely ignore the Hamas human shield strategy and don't try to grasp the details of the Gaza conflict, other than what they see on left media. Mostly brought to you by Hamas. Oh those 65,000 civilian deaths and famine everywhere. 

Fortunately it looks like Hamas will accept the Trump peace deal with increasing pressure from Arab neighbours. Gaza will be rebuilt, having squandered the opportunity to develop 20 years ago, due to electing Jihardist Hamas on the platform of eradicating Israel. Real clever, yet again. 

3 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

But do you support the Genocide going on at present? 

What does google maps say...

Turkish Restaurant. The Wishing Tree (halal)

2 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

But do you support the Genocide going on at present? 

Genocide - when IDF enables the Gazans to be fed including Hamas? When IDF draws criticism for continuing to urge citizens to leave their next conflict area, including posters and text messages?

You have no clue of what real genocide is, just so easy to use the G word. Take Sudan which is much more lethal for civilians, and still the UN hasn't been willing to apply the G word.. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjel2nn22z9o

But for Israel it's easy pickings as they hunt down terrorists hiding and firing from civilian infrastructure including hospitals and schools. 

Do you support Hamas planned and continuing human shield strategy? 

Why do think they won't release the hostages? 

The hypocrisy is breathtaking. 

3 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

But do you support the Genocide going on at present? 

 

   Keep to the topic of this thread .

Every thread gets turned into a discussion about the same subject :

 

   *Is there  genocide going on and are Israel like the Nazis*

 

  Same few posters keep turning the discussion to those topics 

 

6 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Crimes have nothing to do with politics

Of course not.... 

7 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

Politics aside I have heard from many in hospitality that Israelis can be the worst, always demanding everything for free. The restaurant has the right to ask people to leave for anti social antics.

PS . I support Israel in dealing with Gaza Terrorists.

Gaza terrorists, I agree, but not the general public who are seriously suffering through no fault of their own.