An Israeli family visiting Koh Samui says it was refused entry to Samui Exotic Park in Mae Nam because of its nationality, before a confrontation with a man representing the attraction.

Videos shared online on 14 August show the family, who were accompanied by two young daughters, challenging staff at the park entrance. Later posts on the park's official Instagram Story appeared to endorse the exclusion of Israeli visitors.

Family records confrontation

Footage filmed by the mother, and widely circulated online, begins with her speaking to staff behind a counter.

"Because we're from Israel? What have we done to you? We haven't done anything," she says in the recording.

Picture courtesy of Khoasod

The footage then cuts to a man described as representing the zoo telling the family to leave. "Okay, bye. Bye-bye," he says.

When the woman asks for his name, the man responds with profanity. As she repeats the question, he approaches the group and says: "Move off my place."

The man then appears to attempt to headbutt the woman's husband. She replies, "Okay, okay, we're leaving. We're leaving," before he throws a small white sign in her direction while she continues recording.

Park account posts anti-Israeli imagery

Samui Exotic Park also posted silent CCTV footage of the confrontation, filmed from behind the counter. The wider-angle video appears to show the family, including the two girls, leaving the entrance area after the dispute.

Further Instagram Stories on the park's official account appeared to reinforce its position. One clip showed an Israeli flag carrying a red no-entry symbol beside a shooting target marked with holes.

As the camera moved from the sign to a nearby Free Palestine flag, the person filming could be heard whistling.

Those later posts do not independently confirm the family's account of events before recording began. However, they appeared to show that the attraction's official social-media account supported refusing Israeli visitors after the confrontation.

The park had previously drawn online criticism for displaying Palestinian flags and a "Free Palestine" sign. At that time, Samui Exotic Park said it welcomed visitors of all nationalities, while expecting guests to respect its rules.

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15 August 2026

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This should be illegal.

5 minutes ago, TedG said:

This should be illegal.

Indeed, it's the Jews they're after at the moment.....at the moment.

They see their masters going after them and now the peasants are joining the pile on.

Imagine a foreigner acting like that man trying to head butt a thai.

All hell would break loose and calls for instant jail and deportation would pile into the comments.

Oh the irony.

24 minutes ago, blaze master said:

Imagine a foreigner acting like that man trying to head butt a thai.

All hell would break loose and calls for instant jail and deportation would pile into the comments.

Oh the irony.

The guy looks Non-Thai to me & seems to be speaking Arabic at end so another "Foreigner Behaving Badly" video.

Edited August 14Aug 14 by SamSpade

13 minutes ago, SamSpade said:

The guy looks Non-Thai to me & seems to be speaking Arabic at end so another "Foreigner Behaving Badly" video.

The hypothetical still stands.

2 hours ago, TedG said:

This should be illegal.

It surprises me. Thailand is usually known for sitting on the fence and not taking sides. Everyone's money is welcome. There is some non-Thai input here. I

Last month Asean Now was reporting on a Thai business owner on Kho Samui getting hammered online for displaying a Palestinian liberation flag in front of his shop.

Now, we have a Thai park owner who decides to bar an Israeli family.

Both events driven by private sentiment, not government instruction! But, what they do highlight is the gap between Thailand’s formal stance: non‑aligned, tourism‑friendly, and publicly neutral, and the way ordinary Thais sometimes project global conflicts into local behaviour.

While the state doesn’t push discrimination, it also isn’t quick to intervene when private actors or netizens escalate things like this.

This is a concept known as blowback, they belong to a nationality that's extremely unpopular these days and there are ramifications. When you come from a nation where the majority of the population serves in the army and commits atrocities against a defenseless civilian population including women and children, there's bound to be some blowback.

This appears to be a private part and all owners have the right to refuse admission to anybody they like.

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

This is a concept known as blowback, they belong to a nationality that's extremely unpopular these days and there are ramifications. When you come from a nation where the majority of the population serves in the army and commits atrocities against a defenseless civilian population including women and children, there's bound to be some blowback.

This appears to be a private part and all owners have the right to refuse admission to anybody they like.

Whether it's legal to discriminate like that is a different thing to whether it's right to discriminate like that. You sound like you're saying it's right. That is disgusting.

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Whether it's legal to discriminate like that is a different thing to whether it's right to discriminate like that. You sound like you're saying it's right. That is disgusting.

Property and business owners have the right to bar whoever they like, regardless of whether it's legal for you to be disgusted, or right for you to be disgusted.

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Property and business owners have the right to bar whoever they like, regardless of whether it's legal for you to be disgusted, or right for you to be disgusted.

You act as if I said otherwise.

My feeling on this is that the public that opposes unfair discrimination has a right to not give business to such placss.

For example, have a big problem with Putin's Z fascist Russia.

The Russians that are here are mixed politically.

If I saw a business ban all Russians I would ban myself on principle.

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If I saw a business ban all Russians I would ban myself on principle.

No one is supposed to even know or ask where you are from in the first place.

I guess once the restaurant owner hears people speaking .... then what? The restaurant owner identifies where you are from and goes up to them and asks them to leave in the middle of their meal?

Ideally, politics should not mix with tourism. But human beings are emotional and irrational creatures.

A farang asked me where I was from out of nowhere the other day. Why is he so eager to know this above all else? People are all prejudiced. You would be surprised how many Brits and Aussies hate Americans and vice versa out there.

You won't see Brit business owners banning American diners, but it doesn't mean they don't secretly hate you while they bring you your English Breakfast.

Edited August 15Aug 15 by save the frogs

Amazing Thailand.

Wonder how many tourist will vote with there feet

after this.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

This is a concept known as blowback, they belong to a nationality that's extremely unpopular these days and there are ramifications. When you come from a nation where the majority of the population serves in the army and commits atrocities against a defenseless civilian population including women and children, there's bound to be some blowback.

This appears to be a private part and all owners have the right to refuse admission to anybody they like.

Well ssid. Its harsh on the family, but they have discovered that actions have consequences. If only their criminal leader Netanyahu cared about this axiom, or the international reputation of his countrymen. Of course, the dislike of Israelis by some Thais, is also a result of their well-publicised behavior while in Thailand: taking over Phangan and Pai and their numerous illegal business activities.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Whether it's legal to discriminate like that is a different thing to whether it's right to discriminate like that. You sound like you're saying it's right. That is disgusting.

There are no laws that prohibit discrimination when private property is involved. Right or wrong is in the eye of the beholder. You weren't there, were you?

Edited August 15Aug 15 by Jonathan Swift

4 hours ago, TedG said:

This should be illegal.

Maybe Thais informed themselves about Israel. That's legal.

I am not Israeli but I certainly wouldn't go to this bigoted park.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

This is a concept known as blowback, they belong to a nationality that's extremely unpopular these days and there are ramifications. When you come from a nation where the majority of the population serves in the army and commits atrocities against a defenseless civilian population including women and children, there's bound to be some blowback.

This appears to be a private part and all owners have the right to refuse admission to anybody they like.

Couldn't agree more. All owners have the right to refuse admission to their 'private parts'!

These problems are well known and have been going on long enough for every Israeli to be fully aware of what to expect, and to stay out of trouble.

18 minutes ago, rocketboy2 said:

Amazing Thailand.

Wonder how many tourist will vote with there feet

after this.

Probably only Israeli ones.

I am American and I am Jewish. While i draw a distinction between individuals and government, I can't get too upset about this. Israelis can't support or toleerate their government practicing apartheid and genocide and expect to be welcome all over the world.

5 hours ago, TedG said:

This should be illegal.

While I do admire the owners for his principals in this regard, the rules in Thailand clearly state that a business owner has a broad legal right to deny entry based on behavioral or safety reasons, but they cannot legally refuse service based on arbitrary or discriminatory grounds.

It seems this family are experiencing the latter. It is unfortunate, but it is the way of the world, and some Thai's feel very strongly about what's going on in that part of the world.

27 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

There are no laws that prohibit discrimination when private property is involved. Right or wrong is in the eye of the beholder. You weren't there, were you?

This is incorrect. A business in Thailand has a broad legal right to deny entry based on behavioral or safety reasons, but they cannot legally refuse service based on arbitrary or discriminatory grounds. This is currently the law. I am not taking sides here, just stating a fact.

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Property and business owners have the right to bar whoever they like, regardless of whether it's legal for you to be disgusted, or right for you to be disgusted.

Not true. A Thai business owner has a broad legal right to deny entry based on behavioral or safety reasons, but they cannot legally refuse service based on arbitrary or discriminatory grounds. This is the current law in 2026.

24 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

These problems are well known and have been going on long enough for every Israeli to be fully aware of what to expect, and to stay out of trouble.

Their troubles are nothing compared with those of the countless women and children who have been murdered. Suddenly, every Israeli in Thailand is a good guy who supposedly doesn’t support the Zionist tendencies of their government. Oh, lucky us to be in the company of such “distinguished and decent Israelis.”

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

It surprises me. Thailand is usually known for sitting on the fence and not taking sides. Everyone's money is welcome. There is some non-Thai input here. I

The problem was caused by one ignorant Israeli. It has spread to coffee shops and hair salons with average Thai people all talking about how disgusting Israeli people are in their treatment of anyone non-jew.

A viral social media incident in Thailand involved an individual at a local venue challenging Thai authorities or staff and questioning, "Don't you know this is Israel's territory?" to which local officials and netizens firmly responded that it is Thai soil governed strictly by Thai law.

Netanyahu and his gang have destroyed the value of Israeli citizenship. All Israelis with some remaining brains should try to get a different passport

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

Indeed, it's the Jews they're after at the moment.....at the moment.

Trying to play the anti semitism card again. Jews from all over the world are welcome, Israeli citizens are not.

I guess I missed it but are they asking for passports now at amusement parks? How did the locals know they are from Israel?