How about you put your bias to the side and consider the actual facts? The Israelis represent a small number of foreign caused wrongdoing. And the wrongdoing that they are involved in is relatively minor. There are people and groups who have made an effort to create the impression that the Israelis are big time violent criminals, when it just isn't the case. The messaging is constant : The Israelis are bad and criminals. The last Israeli "criminal" to make the news was the idiot in Chiang Mai who did not declare 200 packs of cigarettes. Reading the commentary, one would think the man was an international drug dealer. In contrast, on any given day in Thailand , foreigners are stopped for their undeclared tobacco, alcohol and food, but no fuss is made. Earlier in the month, there was a chaotic confrontation with 20 Chinese nationals who were denied entry at BKK. That event barely rated a mention in Khaosod. Patong might have visible Israeli visitors now, but they are not the ones who are brawling on Bangla or getting into fights with the hookers in the bars. No, that crown of shame remains with Europeans, but you won't hear much about it. Once in a while we read of the Israelis who argue with the tour touts and tuk tuk drivers. Gee, that's a common occurrence with tourists in Phuket. The tuk tuk drivers have been ripping people off ever since I lived there. The Israelis, are not afraid of saying no and asking for lower fares and the tuk tuk thugs don't like it. The Indians won't accept the ripoff fares either and they get accused of being "cheap". The transport thugs much prefer the timid clueless tourists who will accept a 1000 - 2,000 baht fare to go from Patong to Karon. And so, when they don't get their way, these drivers complain about the bad tourists. The touts try to sell their over priced tours and don't like it when the value proposition is questioned. Been there, done that.
Create an account or sign in to comment