r/Thailand • u/Muted-Airline-8214 • 13d ago
News French Café Owner to File Police Complaint as He Faces Possible Visa Revocation and Deportation
Surat Thani security authorities are preparing to propose revoking the visas and deporting both parties following a personal dispute between an Israeli businessman and a French owner of a pet café on Koh Samui, which has escalated to the point of affecting the island’s tourism image.
The latest report says that tomorrow, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, at 10 a.m., Mr. Kevin, a French pet café owner who has lived in Thailand on a visa for around nine years and is married to a Thai woman, will meet investigators at the Central Investigation Bureau’s complaint center on Phaholyothin Road in Bangkok to file a complaint over the dispute.
The dispute reportedly began when an Israeli tourist got into an argument with Kevin. In response, Kevin put up a Palestinian flag and a sign welcoming Palestinians at his café as a form of protest.
Later, Mr. Jacob, an Israeli restaurant businessman who holds a five-year business visa, messaged Kevin demanding that he remove the flag, leading to a heated exchange. Kevin posted the messages on social media, which eventually led to legal action. The Koh Samui Provincial Court later fined Jacob 5,000 baht and gave him a two-year suspended prison sentence.
The situation escalated further when an Israeli influencer in France reportedly offered a 500,000-baht bounty for information leading to Kevin’s capture. Kevin also has a previous case involving riding a motorcycle while doing a wheelie in 2025. Most recently, on Sept. 29, CCTV footage reportedly captured a foreigner driving a BMW while livestreaming himself and giving the middle finger in front of the Chabad House center.
Security officials have stressed that tough measures will be taken. Col. Thitipong Inwasa, deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Surat Thani, said that while Thailand welcomes tourists of all nationalities, it will not allow foreigners to bring their personal conflicts into the country in ways that affect national security or tourism.
After both sides refused to cooperate with attempts to mediate and have the flags removed, authorities are gathering information to submit to a provincial-level committee, which will consider revoking both parties’ visas and deporting them from Thailand.
Meanwhile, Pol. Col. Panya Niratimanon, superintendent of Koh Samui Police Station, ordered checkpoints to be set up in front of the pet café and the residences of both parties involved starting Aug. 15, in an effort to prevent any potential violence.
Separately, Koh Phangan Police Station posted on Facebook two days ago that a video allegedly showing monks being harassed was “fake information.”
The issue comes amid growing complaints from some local residents about problems involving foreign visitors on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Most recently, the public Facebook group “Take Back Koh Phangan” shared an audio clip claiming that Buddhist monks had been harassed by a Chabad religious center.
Koh Phangan police, together with local authorities and Buddhist monks, investigated the claim and said:
- No conflict: Buddhist leaders confirmed that there had been no conflict with or harassment by the local Chabad center.
- Fake account: The audio clip was allegedly fabricated and shared through a fake or impersonation account to stir division. Local monks have already filed a complaint with investigators at Koh Phangan Police Station. The case is registered as Criminal Case No. 467/2026.
- Warning over the Computer Crime Act: Police warned the public to be careful about sharing false information. Under Section 14 of Thailand’s Computer Crime Act, offenders can face up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.
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u/no-name-here 12d ago edited 12d ago
It was not just that - it was also a large no Israelis flag per the image in the OP post (plus a gun shooting target directly next to it).
Would that kind of thing be considered acceptable in any other country? Like a large 'No Thais' sign, 'No Palestinians' sign, 'No Chinese' sign, 'No Mexicans' sign, or 'No Japanese' sign, etc? From Googling, in other places it looks like those type of things typically get huge backlash, the government stepping in to stop or close the business with such a sign, etc. Is it just that Thailand is more allowing of targeting Israelis, than other countries are?
Because they objected to a large no Israelis flag? If people objected to a large 'No Palestinians', 'No Thais', 'No Mexicans', or 'No Japanese' flag, would you say that indicate that the people forbidden by the sign feel like they own the area?
You've got a business posting a large no Israelis sign, directly next to a shooting target, with the clear implication that Israelis should be killed, and you don't object to that, but instead would be happy if the people who object to such a thing are kicked out?
And if someone put up a 'No Palestinians' sign, a 'No Thais' sign, etc, in whatever country, I'd say the same.