PHUKET, Thailand – A Jewish New Year celebration in Phuket was cancelled at the last minute after Israeli security officials raised concerns that protests against the gathering could escalate into violence, according to The Times of Israel.
The Rosh Hashanah event, organised by the local Chabad House, had been scheduled to take place on the popular Thai island. Organisers notified registered guests that the event had been cancelled following a request from Israeli security officials and advised them not to approach the venue.
The message said organisers were deeply sorry to cancel the gathering, citing concerns that the protests could become violent and dangerous.
About 500 Thai protesters gathered outside the Chabad House on Sept. 11, according to The Times of Israel. Demonstrators carried signs including “Protect Phuket, No Israel” and chanted calls for Palestinian freedom.
The protest followed several days of demonstrations against Israeli tourists and the planned gathering in Phuket and Bangkok. Some of the demonstrations included statements described by The Times of Israel as antisemitic.
Thai authorities had allowed the Rosh Hashanah event to proceed on Sept. 10. Organisers had initially planned for about 1,000 people to attend, but reduced the expected attendance to 800 and planned to end the event at 9 p.m. in an effort to address security concerns. The event was ultimately cancelled following the Israeli security request.
US envoy raises concerns
Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the US special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, said on Sept. 11 that he was deeply concerned about what he described as increasingly intense antisemitic rhetoric in Thailand.
Kaploun said the US State Department was maintaining close contact with Thai authorities to ensure the Jewish community was protected during the holiday season. The Rosh Hashanah cancellation came one day after several hundred Thai protesters gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok.
The Bangkok demonstration was led by political activist Sondhi Limthongkul, who read a letter submitted to Israeli Ambassador Alona Fisher-Kamm. The letter alleged that Chabad centres were purchasing Thai land to advance what it described as objectives supported by an international Zionist network. Sondhi later travelled to Phuket and took part in the protest there.
According to The Times of Israel, some protesters displayed signs and made statements directed against Jews, including calls for Jews to leave Thailand. Other signs called for Israel to be boycotted and said Thailand was not for sale. The protests have taken place amid wider public anger over Israeli visitors and Israel’s policies in the Middle East. However, statements directed against Jews as a group have drawn concern from Israeli and US officials.
Rami Teplitskiy, deputy head of mission at the Israeli Embassy in Thailand, said the embassy remained committed to building lasting friendship and ensuring that people could enjoy visiting Thailand on the basis of mutual respect.
The cancellation of the Phuket gathering highlights the security concerns surrounding Jewish community events in Thailand during the current holiday period, while Thai and foreign authorities continue to monitor the situation.
