Thai officials inspecting the Chabad House in Patong, Phuket, were met with an unusual exchange on July 23 when a man allegedly claimed the premises were “Israeli territory“.
The incident occurred during an operation led by Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwannachet. Officials were inspecting businesses as part of a crackdown on suspected nominee shareholding and unauthorised foreign business operations.
According to officials, a man inside the Chabad House approached the inspection team and asked, “Don’t you know this is Israeli territory?”
Polapee immediately rejected the remark, saying Thailand’s laws apply equally to everyone in the country.
“This is Thailand. Everyone on Thai soil must comply with Thai law. No one has the right to claim sovereignty over Thailand.”
The deputy interior minister said the government does not discriminate against any nationality, religion or source of investment. However, he stressed that all foreign residents and businesses must operate in accordance with Thai law.
Following the inspection, the Ministry of Interior ordered an expanded investigation into 361 businesses across Phuket considered to be at risk of breaching foreign business regulations.
According to Nation TV, government agencies had previously visited the Patong Chabad House on several occasions and reminded its operators that all activities must comply with Thai law.
Chabad operates under the Chabad of Thailand Foundation and has six to seven centres nationwide, including in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Mae Hong Son and Phuket.
While Thailand’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, all activities must comply with Thai law and public order.
In related news, a secular community venue for Israeli travellers, known as the Secular House, has opened on Koh Pha Ngan as a non-religious alternative to the island’s Chabad House.
The venue, located directly opposite the island’s Chabad House, was established by the Free Secular Movement, an Israeli activist organisation that advocates for secularism and the separation of religion and state.
The story Thai minister rejects ‘Israeli territory’ claim during Phuket inspection as seen on Thaiger News.
