BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand welcomes foreign visitors and residents but expects them to obey Thai law, the director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration said Wednesday, warning that deportation is only one of several measures available to authorities. Naruja Khosasivilai, director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration, said recent deportation orders involving foreigners who allegedly caused problems in Thailand were being carried out under the 2026 Prime Minister’s Office regulation on deportation. He said authorities wanted to make it clear that foreigners were welcome in Thailand, but anyone whose behaviour causes trouble for society, affects people’s quality of life or threatens public order could face legal action.
Asked whether deportation would be the main response to foreigners causing problems for Thai people, Narucha said there were several offences covered by existing laws and authorities would consider each case according to the circumstances.
He said there had been no reports of widespread problems involving foreigners, apart from cases that had already received public attention.
Regarding Israeli nationals living in or visiting Thailand, Narucha said authorities should avoid viewing the issue as a broader problem and instead consider individual cases. He noted that many foreigners live peacefully alongside Thai communities and that some have legally entered Thailand and settled in the country for many years. Narucha said greater communication was needed when foreigners organise activities so local communities understand what the events involve and how participants intend to express themselves. Foreigners organising activities are expected to notify authorities about the nature and format of their events, he said.
He suggested that heightened public attention may partly reflect the current climate, with recent news reports causing people to become more alert whenever foreign groups organise activities.
Narucha said such activities could be normal and should not automatically be viewed negatively, provided they comply with Thai law and do not disturb public order. He also said the Interior Ministry and provincial authorities already monitor developments in communities across the country.
The priority, he said, was to maintain peaceful relations between foreigners and Thai residents and avoid unnecessary disruption to communities. Narucha called for greater public understanding and urged the media to report both positive and negative developments rather than allowing relatively minor incidents to create a uniformly negative impression.
He said the 2026 Prime Minister’s Office regulation on deportation provides authorities with a clear mechanism for maintaining public order across Thailand. Asked whether deportation represented the strongest measure available to authorities, Narucha rejected that characterization. “There are many laws with more severe measures,” he said, adding that deportation was only one measure available to authorities to maintain peace and order in society. (TNA)
