The French owner of Samui Exotic Park in Surat Thani has been ordered deported from Thailand, with his wife preparing to appeal the Interior Ministry's decision on Friday, 11 September.

Kevin Dimino was formally informed of the order by Surat Thani Immigration on 8 September, a day after the ministry issued the deportation decision. He has been held at Koh Samui Police Station while awaiting removal to his country of origin.

The case follows a dispute involving Israeli tourists at the animal park on Koh Samui.

Ministry order and detention

The Interior Ministry's 7 September order said Mr Dimino had engaged in threatening, harassment and physical assault, and had caused annoyance to others. It also alleged conduct that created racial and religious division, caused problems among tourists, and risked harm to people or property through reckless behaviour.

Mr Dimino attended Surat Thani Immigration with his wife and lawyer on 8 September. Pol Col Narawat Phutthawiro, superintendent of Surat Thani Immigration, notified him of the deportation order, read it to him officially and took him to make an official police record.

He was then placed in custody at Koh Samui Police Station pending the process of being sent back to France.

The order comes after an earlier deportation case involving the same dispute. On 24 August, Jindarat, 35, and Mr Dimino, described as the owner of Samui Exotic Park, filed a complaint against a group of Israeli tourists, saying they had been seriously threatened and feared for their lives.

On 4 September, the Interior Ministry ordered the deportation of Yaacov Ohayon, an Israeli national identified as Mr Dimino's opposing party in the Samui Exotic Park case.

Appeal planned at Interior Ministry

Mr Dimino's wife is now preparing to file an appeal with the Interior Ministry. Tae Achiva, from the Thai Mai Thon team, wrote on Facebook that he would take Mr Dimino to submit the appeal at 10.30am on Friday, 11 September.

In the post, he questioned whether the outcome was appropriate, saying Mr Dimino had been protecting his business and family.

Picture courtesy of Komchadluek

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Join the discussion?

10 September 2026

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Do we know yet if the Israeli Yaacov Ohayon was actually deported or did he appeal too?

He should have been smarter to not pick a fight in Thailand with someone else, specially being here on a Visa.

if he was smarter, could have still kept the sign in the zoo, and if he gets harassed should have just sued the Israeli instead of causing a huge mess.