Surat Thani security officials are seeking visa revocation and deportation for an Israeli restaurant owner and a French businessman after a Palestinian flag dispute on Koh Samui escalated into online threats and concerns for tourism.

Col Thitiphong Inwasa, deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command in Surat Thani, said on 22 August that officials were preparing information for a provincial committee to consider action against Israeli national Jacob and French national Kevin.

Dispute began at Samui attraction

The row began when an Israeli tourist visited Samui Exotic Park, operated by Kevin, and became involved in an argument with him. Kevin had displayed a Palestinian flag and a sign welcoming Palestinians at the attraction.

Jacob later contacted Kevin and asked him to remove the flag, but Kevin refused. Their exchange was later circulated on social media, bringing the dispute into the public eye and leading to legal action.

The Samui Provincial Court subsequently fined Jacob 5,000 baht and gave him a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Officials said the situation worsened after an Israeli influencer based in France offered a 500,000-baht bounty for information leading to Kevin’s death.

Officials warn of tourism and security impact

According to security officials, the dispute spread widely online and created the impression that Israeli visitors were threatening people on Samui, while local residents were hostile towards Israeli tourists.

They warned that such perceptions could harm Koh Samui's tourism industry and raise security concerns. However, officials stressed that the matter began as a personal dispute between two individuals, not a conflict involving Israeli tourists and local residents.

Authorities also cautioned against attempts to portray the case as a wider anti-Israel issue, saying this could potentially develop into religious or ethnic tensions.

Checkpoints in place since 15 August

Officials cited the pair's failure to cooperate in resolving the dispute, as well as concerns that it could escalate, in seeking the visa review.

Immigration records show Jacob has lived on Koh Samui for about five years on a business visa and operates a restaurant. Kevin, who is married to a Thai woman from Rayong, has lived on the island and run Samui Exotic Park for about nine years.

Samui police have kept security checkpoints outside the attraction and near the two men's homes since 15 August to prevent further confrontations. Authorities said the measures were intended to stop the dispute developing into a wider conflict that could damage Samui's standing as an international tourist destination.

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23 August 2026

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It seems to be that Jacob is a racist and a pig and a snowflake, and simply could not handle the idea of a business owner supporting the Palestinian people. Very typical of a lot of Israelis who tend to be quite provincial in their outlook and very intolerant of people who don't obey their country's narrative.

I'm a Jew and I support the Palestinian cause, and would be very proud to display their flag. Jacob needs to get a life and stop being a weak and pathetic victim.

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Two business owners getting into it on line.

idiots. now maybe you have destroyed it all.

Should have kept your mouths shut and adopted the Thai way.

Money number one.

Seem the Thai police just want to wash their hands from it.

Deportation for the French guy would be very unfair.

If it was the Thai owner of the exotic park nothing would happen.

However, it seems like the problem is not this local after all. Earlier there were news stories about Israelis' behaviour in Pai. Khun Kevin has posted that he previously had problems with tourists from Israel, which was why he made the sign. And in today's ASEAN NOW-news there is a story about problems with Israelis in Phuket...

1 minute ago, khunPer said:

However, it seems like the problem is not this local after all. Earlier there were news stories about Israelis' behaviour in Pai. Khun Kevin has posted that he previously had problems with tourists from Israel, which was why he made the sign. And in today's ASEAN NOW-news there is a story about problems with Israelis in Phuket...

That's one of the problems with social media, it reinforces.

This doesn't mean there are more problems with Israeli than with other nationalities.

A very wise decision to expel them both from the country. They are both carrying on a foreign conflict in Thailand which is unacceptable. Both remained unrepentant and both escalated the situation further.

A very wise decision to expel them both from the country. They are both carrying on a foreign conflict in Thailand which is unacceptable. Both remained unrepentant and both escalated the situation further.

Agree. Send them home so they can fight each other for real.

5 hours ago, rocketboy2 said:

Should have kept your mouths shut and adopted the Thai way.

Money number one.

Thailand, and Thai's, will take anyone and everyone's money. As you say, Money Number One" here.

It must be quite confusing to the Thai's that some foreigners don't want other foreigner's money due to personal reasons. 😂 😂

Sadly for Israeli tourists , Phuket is not an extension of the West Bank , and although they may choose to settle there , they need to remember that they have no right to dictate how others conduct their affairs.

Deporting Kevin , IMO , would be excessive since as a business owner he has the right to run his business as he sees fit.

1 hour ago, trucking said:

Sadly for Israeli tourists , Phuket is not an extension of the West Bank ,

This story is from Ko Samui , nothing to do with Phuket

8 hours ago, stevenl said:

That's one of the problems with social media, it reinforces.

This doesn't mean there are more problems with Israeli than with other nationalities.

But there most definitely are, the Israelis and the Russians are now the two problem groups of Thailand. And the Israelis have done this to themselves with their arrogance and outspoken nature.

14 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It seems to be that Jacob is a racist and a pig and a snowflake, and simply could not handle the idea of a business owner supporting the Palestinian people. Very typical of a lot of Israelis who tend to be quite provincial in their outlook and very intolerant of people who don't obey their country's narrative.

I'm a Jew and I support the Palestinian cause, and would be very proud to display their flag. Jacob needs to get a life and stop being a weak and pathetic victim.

You're a Jew.

You don't say.

Congratulations.

I prefer this flag.

28 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

But there most definitely are, the Israelis and the Russians are now the two problem groups of Thailand. And the Israelis have done this to themselves with their arrogance and outspoken nature.

You're quite a good example of arrogance and being outspoken yourself.

Marry a Thai woman, and open up a business. Seems easy to get around these rules hey.

All political nonsense should be banned... just stupid.

22 hours ago, FlorC said:

Seem the Thai police just want to wash their hands from it.

Deportation for the French guy would be very unfair.

If it was the Thai owner of the exotic park nothing would happen.

In my opinion ther best way to solve this problem would be to revoke both of their visas and send them back to their own countries wher they can fly their own flags whenever they like. The Thai police have got better things to do like catch criminals than wasting their time on these 2 clowns.

Get rid of the Israeli the French guy didn’t do anything wrong, the Israeli started the problem which is their normal behaviour why should the French guy lose his business etc

It is very convenient for Israelis to accuse people of being antisemitic. I display a Palestinian flag in the rear window of my car. I was once challenged by an Israeli and accused of being antisemitic but I responded that I have no problem with the Jewish faith, my only problem being the actions of the Israeli government and army.

Give them their own state and get on with their lives. With peace Hamas will have no supporters!

On 8/23/2026 at 5:51 AM, spidermike007 said:

It seems to be that Jacob is a racist and a pig and a snowflake, and simply could not handle the idea of a business owner supporting the Palestinian people. Very typical of a lot of Israelis who tend to be quite provincial in their outlook and very intolerant of people who don't obey their country's narrative.

I'm a Jew and I support the Palestinian cause, and would be very proud to display their flag. Jacob needs to get a life and stop being a weak and pathetic victim.

First Palestinian and Jews are not a 'race’ they are Arab Nationals who share a collective political ideology. I am surprised at you, you usually only post after considerable research - so you must know: Flying a foreign country's flag in public in Thailand is illegal under the 1979 Flag Act, with potential penalties including imprisonment. Sooooo, why isn’t the Park owner being charged under that rule?? or anyone else for that matter?? Selective enforcement?? Peace

6 minutes ago, cnx101 said:

Get rid of the Israeli the French guy didn’t do anything wrong, the Israeli started the problem which is their normal behaviour why should the French guy lose his business etc

Not done anything wrong?? Accept breaking Thai laws…..Flying a foreign country's flag in public in Thailand is illegal under the 1979 Flag Act, with potential penalties including imprisonment. Peace

1 minute ago, Explorator en Action said:

Not done anything wrong?? Accept breaking Thai laws…..Flying a foreign country's flag in public in Thailand is illegal under the 1979 Flag Act, with potential penalties including imprisonment. Peace

If the flag is on his property , it is ok

9 minutes ago, FlorC said:

If the flag is on his property , it is ok

Your wrong - foreign flags need to be flown along side a Thai Flag, and raised in a way that it is lower than the Thai Flag - unless on Diplomatic Property, not Private Property, that is open to the Public. And, since foreigners cannot ‘own’ property what do you think makes it Private?? Your reasoning is flawed - tell that story to the German man that placed Buddah heads all around his ‘Private Property’ wall for all to see - thinking it would show respect to the religion. He was fined 300,000 baht, and had to remove the Buddhist replica’s, he told the court they were placed on his ‘Private’ Property, not so said the court.

Peace

28 minutes ago, Explorator en Action said:

Flying a foreign country's flag

He was displaying a Palestinian flag, not flying it.

Hadn't heard of the 'flag act' before, but what else is new?

In my little bailiwick of Jomtien there are numerous bars and restaurants owned by our esteemed friends from Scandinavian countries, and they seem to have a strong predilection for flying the flags of their home countries in front of their fine establishments. Moreso than Brits (always thought Union Jack looks best from purely design viewpoint). Only one Bar festooned in US flags, 'Trump Tower"... hope he is seeking medical help...

Or, like condo development office on 2nd road, there are about 15 flags of varying nations, either Asian or some other money source. And then there is the 'problem' of when government sanctioned event like jetski competition takes place there are also flags from all over....

Years back some of the Russian 'hotties' on my beach liked to wear US flag bikinis. I was so tempted to demand they show me proof of US citizenship or surrender their appropriated symbol of the greatest country that had ever been between Canada and Mexico...

Hadn't heard of the 'flag act' before, but what else is new?

In my little bailiwick of Jomtien there are numerous bars and restaurants owned by our esteemed friends from Scandinavian countries, and they seem to have a strong predilection for flying the flags of their home countries in front of their fine establishments. Moreso than Brits (always thought Union Jack looks best from purely design viewpoint). Only one Bar festooned in US flags, 'Trump Tower"... hope he is seeking medical help...

Or, like condo development office on 2nd road, there are about 15 flags of varying nations, either Asian or some other money source. And then there is the 'problem' of when government sanctioned event like jetski competition takes place there are also flags from all over....

Years back some of the Russian 'hotties' on my beach liked to wear US flag bikinis. I was so tempted to demand they show me proof of US citizenship or surrender their appropriated symbol of the greatest country that had ever been between Canada and Mexico...

The flags of 48 countries were very popular during the recent world cup . Displayed almost everywhere

So happy to see the Thai immigration folks finally getting folks to understand that this is how they roll. FAFO.

42 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

The flags of 48 countries were very popular during the recent world cup . Displayed almost everywhere

Just display/fly the flag lower than the local countries flag. This is pretty much universal. If not the law then simply common courtesy. I think you will find ships do it every the time when entering harbour/harbor

Edited August 24Aug 24 by VocalNeal

Officials said the situation worsened after an Israeli influencer based in France offered a 500,000-baht bounty for information leading to Kevin’s death.

Absolutely ridiculous putting a "death" bounty on someone for waving a flag. There are many restaurants in my neighborhood waving their national flags. USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden, France, Italy, India ... just to name a few. Should they receive death threats??? Fine, jail and deport with life-time ban . Foreign nationals must accept they are guests of Thailand and not bring their problems with them.