French Koh Samui Zoo Owner Detained Ahead of Deportation

French national Kevin Dimino, co-owner of Samui Exotic Park on Koh Samui, has been detained by immigration officers after authorities launched a search to locate him. He was found on September 8 and taken to Koh Samui Police Station for questioning and processing ahead of his expected removal from Thailand. Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed a deportation order against Dimino on September 7 after officials said they had been unable to formally notify him at the closed animal park. The Interior Ministry cited six alleged incidents involving harassment, threats, physical confrontations and behaviour that authorities said risked creating tensions involving nationality and religion. Dimino is entitled to appeal the deportation decision within seven days of receiving formal notification, while his actual departure from Thailand had not yet been confirmed.

6 hours ago, Video News said:

The Interior Ministry cited six alleged incidents involving harassment, threats, physical confrontations and behaviour that authorities said risked creating tensions involving nationality and religion.

Turns out Kevin had been quite the lad. He has been involved in some serious stuff totally separate from his confrontations with Israelis. The government cited six grounds for his deportation, including violence, knife threats, tourist confrontations, provocative online posts and an incident aboard a domestic flight.

In a subsequent release, the Interior Ministry gave the details of some of these incidents. From the Bangkok Post: "In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said Dimino, a co-owner of Samui Exotic Park zoo, had allegedly harassed and verbally abused the owner and teachers of a language school, assaulted a Turkish national and threatened him with a knife.

...

"In another incident, cabin crew reportedly asked police to remove Dimino from a domestic flight after he allegedly threatened fellow passengers, the ministry said."

It also described the assault on the Israeli family without mentioning their nationality. It cited social media posts which "risked associating a site in Thailand with racial, religious and political divisions." Finally, Dimino had some major traffic violations on his record.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/3316549/govt-defends-bid-to-deport-frenchman

Dimino didn't do himself any favors by keeping up a heavy media and social media presence.

He posted a message on the zoo's Web site criticizing Anutin and another in which he threatened the Israeli ambassador, He wrote:

"She prefers to let her photos do the talking—posing proudly with the police as if to say, 'Look how protected I am!'
Sadly, no one will be able to help you this time, my dear 😉
Next week, she’s going to get a visit from someone who will quickly knock her off her high horse."

Those are incredibly dumb posts under the circumstances. He was asking to be deported by challenging Anutin by implying the Thai PM had been bought by Israeli money.

Dimino's wife may miss him. Nobody else should.