Phuket restaurant owner defends refusal to serve Israeli man
A Phuket restaurant owner defended his decision to refuse service to an Israeli man, saying the foreigner provoked a confrontation by demanding he remove a Palestinian flag displayed inside the restaurant.
The owner posted videos of the incident on Facebook on Monday, March 9. The footage showed him telling the man to leave, following him out of the premises and continuing to record and complain as the foreign man walked onto the public road.
In the video, the owner can be heard repeatedly shouting “Free Palestine!” The Israeli man also filmed the owner and the restaurant before leaving.
The clips spread widely on Thai social media, prompting debate among netizens. Many of the owner’s friends and followers supported his actions, referring to previous alleged criminal cases and inappropriate behaviour involving Israeli tourists in Thailand.
Others criticised the owner’s response, saying it escalated the situation. They argued that locals should act as good hosts and welcome tourists from different countries, cultures and religions.
After the online reaction, the owner gave an interview to the Phuket Times Facebook page to explain what happened. He said the Israeli man initiated the dispute after noticing the flag inside the restaurant.
According to the owner, the man entered the restaurant and spoke about his religion, then tried to persuade him to adopt his beliefs. The owner said the customer later ordered him to remove the Palestine flag, which he denied to do. The owner stated in the interview…
“As the restaurant owner and a Muslim, I admit I was angry because I felt it was an insult to my rights and faith in my own place. So, I asked him to leave the store, as shown in the video.”
The owner said it was his first time facing this type of confrontation. He added that foreign tourists had previously asked him to remove the flag at least five times, but he refused, saying he believed it was his right to display it.
He also said he was fasting during Ramadan when the incident occurred. Calling Ramadan an important period for him, he said he decided to speak publicly to clarify the situation and help end the conflict. He added that he wanted to continue doing good deeds in line with his religious beliefs.
The owner thanked people who said they understood his position and his rights, and urged the public not to escalate the matter further to avoid social division.
A similar dispute was reported in Bangkok in March last year, when the owners of a second-hand clothing shop went on social media to ask foreigners to show respect after they were told to stop selling shirts featuring Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler.
The shop owners said they had positioned the business as both a second-hand clothing store and a museum, and that selling shirts depicting leaders involved in conflicts did not reflect any political bias.
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