PUBLISHED: 19 Feb 2025 at 04: 00
According to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, website rumors that some 30 000 Israelis reside in the Pai city of Mae Hong Son state were false yesterday.
” Hold on a moment”, Ms Paetongtarn said. When asked by the internet whether some Israelis saw Pai as a fresh “promised land” and that more than 30 000 people had already settled in the area, she replied,” We’ve now verified that this is not true.”
Anutin Charnvirakul, the deputy prime minister and minister of the interior, may visit the area next week to find a complete understanding of what is happening there, she said.
Following social press talk suggesting that a sizable amount of Israelis had fled the Israel-Hamas conflict and settled in the Pai region, leading to the formation of Jewish communities, conspiracies have erupted in Pai regarding Israeli tourists.
This comes after people who have experienced foreign tourists gathered on January 8 to sign a petition with the Pai authorities captain and the Pai District Office.
They requested that foreigners who supposedly worked without proper authorization or attended numerous loud parties be investigated and brought to justice.
Mae Hong Son Tourist Police denied the social internet says that there are about 30 000 Israelis living in Pai, despite revealing that the city has a population of roughly 38, 000.
In fact, the figure represents the total amount of Jewish visitors stayed in the country last year. On average, there are 83-84 Jewish visitors staying per time. The major tourists visiting Pai are British, Israeli, American, and German.
The police said the Chabad House in Pai is open for rites on Fridays and Saturdays in response to a local’s problem. The site has a potential for 200 persons.
Seven Chabad buildings are located in different locations, including Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, and Phangan. The largest is in Bangkok.
Local operational leaders made it clear that only about 3, 000 Israelis have visited and resided in Pai so far this year.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said Jewish travelers are available for a 60-day visa-free access to Thailand, following the agency’s plan.