Deputy PM says no foreigners encroach Koh Pha Ngan forest
Locals voice concerns amid rumours of illegal land deals and party zones linked to Israelis
The deputy prime minister (PM) of Thailand confirmed that no foreigners encroached on forest land on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani.
Some locals on Koh Pha Ngan voiced concerns that the island was taken over by foreigners, particularly Israeli nationals. They claimed that Israelis used Thai nominees to buy seaside land, encroached on national park areas, cut down trees on the mountains, bribed officials, and carried out illegal construction.
Residents accused the foreigners of illegally purchasing land to create party zones and residential areas, especially in the Ban Sri Thanu community. Locals referred to this area as a “second Tel Aviv.”
According to locals, the area houses a Chabad centre and serves as the hub of a growing Jewish community. The area also includes companies dedicated to bringing more Israelis to the island and helping them relocate, as well as an Israeli-owned international school where over 90% of the students are reported to be Israelis.
In addition, locals claimed they found land development and sale advertisements written in Hebrew and suspected that the plots might be within protected forest areas.
In response to the complaints, Deputy PM and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Suchart Chomklin, ordered a joint inspection involving the ministry’s special task force, the Royal Forest Department, the Department of National Parks, and the Department of Lands.
Suchart later confirmed that no foreigners were found to have occupied forest land as previously reported. However, he noted that any public nuisance, disturbance, or other offences caused by foreigners would still be dealt with according to the law.
This is not the first time Thai residents have raised concerns about Israeli nationals in Thailand. A similar issue emerged earlier in the Pai district of Mae Hong Son province.
In that case, locals urged officials to investigate activities at the Chabad of Pai, located behind the Pai Police Station. Residents complained that the foreigners were causing noise disturbances from frequent gatherings and daily parties on the premises.
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