“Thailand not for sale”: Hundreds protest outside ‘Israeli’ embassy in Bangkok

Hundreds of Thai protesters gathered outside ‘Israel’s’ embassy in Bangkok on Thursday, waving national flags and holding banners that read “Thailand Is Not For Sale” and “This Is Not The Promised Land.”

The rare demonstration was led by veteran political activist and media figure Sondhi Limthongkul as the first major action of his newly launched “Take Our Thailand Back” campaign.

The rally outside Ocean Tower 2 on Sukhumvit Soi 21 drew flag-waving nationalists and some foreign supporters concerned about alleged illegal landholding through nominee arrangements, cultural disrespect by visitors, and the expansion of ‘Israeli’-linked religious centres known as Chabad houses.

Protesters also carried signs such as “Save Thailand,” “Boycott Israel”.

Police monitored the gathering, and the embassy temporarily closed during the protest.

Sondhi, a prominent figure from Thailand’s earlier “yellow shirt” movement, attempted to submit an open letter to ‘Israeli’ Ambassador Alona Fisher-Kamm outlining four demands.

These included calls for ‘Israel’ to ensure its citizens respect Thai laws and culture, fully cooperate with local investigations rather than shield offenders, support transparent probes into land ownership and Chabad operations, and end military actions against civilians in Gaza.

Addressing the crowd, Sondhi declared: “The era of gentle diplomatic pleasantries and calculated silence, which has been misinterpreted as tacit consent, has come to an end.”

He added that “generosity must never be mistaken for weakness, hospitality does not equate to submission to exploitation and courtesy is not an open license for anyone to act with impunity on our sovereign soil,” and stated that “the patience of the Thai people has reached a limit.”

He rejected an offer of a private meeting with the ambassador, insisting the issues concerned the public.

The protest follows months of local complaints about the behaviour of some ‘Israeli’ tourists and longer-term residents, who have increased in number since the events of October 7.

Thailand remains a popular destination; ‘Israeli’ visitors generated about $1.2 billion in tourism revenue last year, with more than 277,000 arrivals in the first eight months of 2026.

‘Israeli’ embassy officials have acknowledged the concerns.

In a video message after the rally, Deputy Chief of Mission Rami Teplitskiy said the embassy was not ignoring negative sentiments and would “continue to work hard to foster sustainable friendship and ensure everyone enjoys Thailand with mutual respect.”

Ambassador Fisher-Kamm had met Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow earlier in the week to discuss solutions.