Koh Phangan Panel Moves on Visa of Israeli Tourist Cited in 2 Police Complaints

Thai island officials have asked immigration police to review the visa of an Israeli visitor.

The Special Committee for Reviewing the Behavior of Foreign Nationals on Koh Phangan said on Thursday that it had put forward the recommendation concerning Einav Ashuel, 33. The panel acted after local police logged two complaints accusing her of threatening and abusive behavior toward employees and tourists. The Koh Phangan district administration said the complaints allege she used services at Than Sadet National Park and at a hotel without paying, then shouted, cursed, insulted staff, and threatened to physically harm employees and tourists.

The committee met Thursday under District Chief Paisit Thongcharoen, with local police commanders, immigration and tourist police representatives, and senior local officials in attendance. The panel passed the file to immigration police for further action. Officials have not said whether Ashuel's visa has been cancelled or whether she has left the country. There was no response from Ashuel or from Israel's Foreign Ministry.

Koh Phangan's committee has handled similar cases before. In late March, it recommended pulling visas from three Israelis who displayed Chabad "Messiah" flags, distributed leaflets, and used WhatsApp groups to invite people to Passover activities on nearby Koh Tao. Thai officials said at the time that the activities worried residents, business owners, and tourists and could disrupt public order. A report on a Chabad website said the three were later deported.

In September, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed a deportation order against Israeli citizen Yaakov Ohayon, convicted of making threats during a dispute involving a zoo on Koh Samui. A court gave him a suspended 15-day prison sentence and a fine of 5,000 baht. A deportation order was later issued against the zoo's owner, a French citizen, over his conduct in the same dispute.

Enforcement has reached other nationalities as well. In early April, the Koh Phangan district chief said visas for 13 foreign tourists had been revoked in the preceding period over inappropriate behavior, and said inspections would continue. In May, the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok issued a warning to its travelers after Phuket province authorities raised enforcement of local law, with officials instructed to impose stricter penalties including visa revocation in serious cases.