Koh Samui zoo scandal: Thailand considers deporting the owner - and the Israeli who was attacked

Thai security authorities are considering deporting an Israeli citizen and a French citizen following a personal conflict on Koh Samui island. The conflict began after the owner of the Samui Exotic Park, a French citizen, placed a Palestinian flag at the entrance to his business. The Israeli citizen, a restaurant owner on the island, argued with him and asked him to remove it. The exchange was shared on social media and escalated into threats and legal proceedings.

Thai security authorities are considering revoking the visas and deporting an Israeli citizen and a French citizen, following a personal conflict on Koh Samui island. The conflict began after the French citizen, owner of the Samui Exotic Park, placed a Palestinian flag at the entrance to his business, and was previously documented refusing to allow Israelis into the zoo. The Israeli citizen, a restaurant owner on the island, argued with the zoo owner after seeing the flag, alongside a sign welcoming Palestinians. The Israeli asked him to remove the flag, and the French citizen refused. The exchange between the two was shared on social media, and the conflict escalated into threats and legal proceedings. Consequently, the Koh Samui District Court fined the Israeli citizen 5,000 baht and sentenced him to a suspended two-year prison term. Subsequently, an Israeli influencer living in France offered a reward of 500,000 baht for information leading to the zoo owner. Thai security authorities are now gathering information to be submitted to a provincial committee, which will consider revoking the visas of both men and deporting them, citing their lack of cooperation in resolving the conflict and concerns over possible escalation. The article also mentions a previous incident about two weeks ago, in which an Israeli family was denied entry to the zoo, and the owner physically assaulted the woman and later hung an Israeli flag with an X on it.