French national Kevin Dimino, who co-owns the Samui Exotic Park on Koh Samui, says his mother's home in the Lyon suburbs was targeted in a night time fire following threats linked to an ongoing row over Israeli visitors.

Speaking on Wednesday, 19 August, Dimino said: "In the night, my mother escaped the flames." He suggested a Molotov cocktail had been used against the family property.

A local police source confirmed that an investigation was under way following a fire involving a garage and a vehicle in Villeurbanne, near Lyon, shortly before 5am on Wednesday. Police did not confirm a cause, motive or link to the controversy in Thailand.

Threats followed Koh Samui confrontation

Dimino has been at the centre of a dispute after refusing entry to Israeli tourists at Samui Exotic Park, an animal attraction on Koh Samui.

The former boxer said the dispute began several months ago when he displayed a Palestinian flag at the park. He said he did so after what he described as repeated poor behaviour by Israeli visitors.

According to Dimino, he subsequently received threats and negative online reviews. The matter escalated last week when footage of an altercation between him and an Israeli family at the park went viral.

He says he has since received hundreds of death threats each day, including threats directed at his mother. Dimino has also posted insulting videos online and put an Israeli flag, marked with a red crossed-out circle, beside a shooting target at the park.

"After receiving a thousand death threats, I am not going to roll out the red carpet for them," the Frenchman of Italian origin said.

Officials address visitor safety

Israel's ambassador to Thailand visited Surat Thani province, which includes Koh Samui, last week to "discuss the safety and well-being of Israeli visitors".

Thailand received more than 420,000 Israeli tourists last year. The Samui dispute has been the latest in a series of publicised tensions involving Israeli visitors, local people or other foreigners.

Thailand's Interior Ministry has asked local officials to intervene to "put an end to the dispute" around the animal park, with dialogue preferred.

Dimino said he has lived in Thailand for 11 years, speaks Thai, owns property and pays tax there. He also claimed to be protected by the high-level connections of his Thai wife.

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20 August 2026

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Another example of what kind of folks we're dealing with.

I hope the Thai police investigate these death threats .