Thai Nationalist Network Joins Phuket Campaign Against Israel and Chabad
The campaign connects local Phuket organizers with veteran political activist Sondhi Limthongkul and his national allies. Its leaders are publicly identified, but who is paying for the rallies remains unclear.
An anti-Israel rally scheduled for October 31 in Phuket brings together local campaigners and a national Thai political network, following calls by a protest leader to remove Chabad institutions from Thailand.
The gathering at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town was scheduled to run from 16:00 to 22:00 local time. Thai outlet MGR Online reported that Sondhi Limthongkul and several political allies arrived on the island ahead of the event.
Behind the rally is a coalition whose activities connect Phuket with earlier demonstrations in Bangkok. Its campaign combines complaints about foreign businesses and tourist conduct with rhetoric directed at Israelis and Jewish religious institutions.
Local organizers join a national political campaign
The Phuket Land Protection Group, or PLPG, is organizing the rally with Reclaim Thailand and approximately 20 allied networks, according to MGR Online.
PLPG leader Saichol Nuchet has promoted the campaign locally. Krit Thepbamrung, a Reclaim Thailand representative, said preparations were coordinated with the movement's central leadership under Sondhi, a former leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, known as the Yellow Shirts.
The advertised speakers included Pichit Chaimongkol, known as "Tum KPT," and Akkarawut Kraisisombat, known as "Tae Acheewa." MGR Online reported that Sondhi traveled to Phuket with Pichit, Panthep Puapongphan and lawyer Nitithorn Lamlue, known as "Nok Khao," alongside their teams.
Several of the same figures led the September 10 demonstration outside Israel's embassy in Bangkok. Khaosod English identified Sondhi, Panthep, Nitithorn and Pichit among its leaders. At that gathering, Sondhi announced plans to take the campaign across Thailand, including Phuket.
Calls against Chabad go beyond tourist complaints
The rhetoric surrounding the rally has extended beyond demands that individual visitors obey Thai law.
According to The Phuket News, Saichol described venues linked to Chabad as fundraising hubs and fronts for an "Israel network." In an October 29 social media post, he said they "must be completely eradicated and wiped out from our country."
Chabad is a Jewish religious and outreach movement. Calls to remove its institutions target a community's religious presence, rather than a specific tourist accused of an offense.
Anti-Jewish language also appeared in the promotion of an earlier PLPG gathering. The Phuket News reported that Thailand Stand with Palestine publicized the August event with hashtags translated as "Patong rejects Jews" and "Israel out."
The organizers are known, but the funding is not
Public reporting identifies the people coordinating the rallies, recruiting supporters and appearing on stage.
No event budget, donor list or payment records covering staging, sound equipment or transport have been made public.
Iran's influence in Thailand
Iranian influence has also drawn attention.
In a September analysis for Israel Hayom, Danny Citrinowicz argued that Iran's longstanding religious and educational relationships in Thailand helped amplify anti-Israel messaging.
He identified Shiite religious leader Syed Sulaiman Husaini and circles linked to Iran as participants in the wider public campaign, while describing Sondhi and local groups as the leaders of the main protests.
Official findings fall short of the organizers' broader claims
The accusations against Chabad have prompted investigations.
According to local reporting, a September 30 provincial update found no irregularities in the financial transactions examined at that stage.
Officials separately identified problems with how parts of Chabad House in Patong were used, including a parking area used as a restaurant or cafe and an unauthorized rooftop structure. Other checks remained ongoing. None of the findings backed the organizers' financial allegations.
Israel's embassy has said it takes complaints about tourists seriously and would provide guidance emphasizing respect for Thai laws and customs. The Associated Press reported that the embassy also cautioned against treating individual incidents as representative of all Israeli visitors.
