Sondhi Urges Thailand to Restrict Israeli Visitors to 15-Day Stays
Sondhi Urges Thailand to Restrict Israeli Visitors to 15-Day Stays
Phuket, November 1, 2026 — Thai political activist Sondhi Limthongkul has called on the government to restrict Israeli visitors to a single 15-day visa, alleging that some tourists have behaved inappropriately and failed to respect Thai laws and local culture.
Speaking at the “Unite the Land, Take Our Thailand Back” rally at Saphan Hin Cape in Phuket on October 31, Sondhi urged the Foreign Minister to summon the Israeli ambassador and consider imposing tighter entry conditions on Israeli passport holders.
Sondhi claimed that some Israeli visitors had failed to contribute sufficiently to the local economy, instead relying on businesses within Israeli networks. He also alleged that their conduct had driven away high-spending European tourists, although he did not provide evidence to support the claim.
He argued that Phuket needed to attract “quality tourists” who stay longer and spend money across the local economy. As part of his proposal, he suggested allowing Israeli visitors to enter Thailand only once, with their stay limited to 15 days.
Sondhi also cited Malaysia’s restrictions on Israeli passport holders and referred to reports of local communities in parts of the Philippines seeking the removal of Israeli visitors.
Proposal for an Andaman special economic zone
Beyond tourism and immigration policy, Sondhi proposed combining Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi into a single special economic zone to strengthen the region’s investment potential and international competitiveness.
The proposed zone would include tax incentives, duty-free arrangements and international education facilities, linking tourism, investment and economic development across the three provinces.
He also called for the establishment of a world-class international university in Phuket, citing institutions such as China’s Tsinghua University, the University of Oxford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as examples.
Sondhi said young people in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga should receive stronger training in English and Chinese to help them compete internationally as professionals and entrepreneurs rather than remaining concentrated in tourism-related support jobs.
Pledges support for Krabi convoy
During the gathering, Sondhi announced a contribution of 100,000 baht towards fuel expenses for a vehicle convoy led by Kamnan Mano, the village head of Krabi Noi in Krabi province.
The convoy plans to travel to Bangkok and Government House to raise concerns over household hardship, the cost of living and fuel prices.
Organisers are aiming to assemble 1,000 vehicles and have invited people from across Thailand to participate.
