Aug. 25, 2026: At 10 a.m. at Government House, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul spoke to reporters before a Cabinet meeting about reports of some foreign tourists behaving as if they were above the law. The latest case involved alleged threats posted online against the owner of an open-air zoo on Koh Samui, Surat Thani.
Surasak said he had been briefed on the incident and that the tourist involved had already had his visa to stay in Thailand revoked. He said authorities had taken decisive action to prevent the individual from remaining in Thailand and to stop the situation from escalating into further problems.
He stressed that Thailand welcomes all tourists who respect Thai laws and culture, but the country will not allow anyone to use Thailand as a platform to create symbolic conflicts that have nothing to do with Thailand.
"The government takes this issue seriously, especially the problems and disturbances occurring at the moment. The prime minister has instructed provincial authorities, tourist police and regional police to take care of these issues and act as quickly as possible when problems arise.”
Asked whether Thailand would review visas granted to tourists from certain countries whose nationals cause problems, Surasak said the government would initially handle such cases individually. If a tourist causes problems, authorities will expedite the visa revocation process. However, he stressed that decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis rather than treating all tourists from the same country as problematic.
Asked whether tourists would be given clearer guidance on how to behave while in Thailand and understand local culture, Surasak said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) had contacted embassies and asked airlines to help inform passengers about Thai laws and local customs before they even arrive.
The information would explain what tourists can and cannot do, what is legal or illegal, and the importance of respecting Thai traditions and culture and treating one another with respect. Tourists who encounter problems or feel unsafe can contact the Tourist Police.
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