Thailand expects Israeli tourists to be better behaved in future following a meeting between Thai police and a top Israeli security official, amid growing discontent with visitors from the Jewish state.
Police said that at Monday's meeting Avi Bitton, an adviser to the Israeli Security Council, had strongly supported the need for Thailand to take swift action against Israeli offenders, including those running illegal businesses.
"We hope the discussion, to some extent, will resolve the problem of Israeli tourists engaging in inappropriate behaviour," Pol Maj Gen Suwat, who is the Surat Thani police chief, said after the talks in Phuket.
The meeting came amid rising public sentiment against Israeli citizens in Thailand fuelled by bad behaviour and running of illegal businesses.
Four destinations are popular with Israelis and sanctuaries have been opened exclusively for their use. They have built these six Chabads, exclusive communities, in Pai district in Mae Hong Son, and on three islands - Phuket, Koh Samui and Phangan.
Mr Bitton explained the need to use maximum security at those places where Israelis stay, with no outsiders allowed inside, for the safety of their citizens because of the war in Gaza, police said.
He promised to allow Thai authorities to inspect the areas.
About 300,000 Israeli tourists visited Thailand from January to September this year, a 57% leap on the same period last year.
The influx of tourists from Israel has led to dissatisfaction among Thais as many show little respect for Thai law. Recently, on Oct 14, four of them were arrested on Koh Samui for holding a party with drugs.
One of the more infamous incidents was in May when an Israeli woman refused to take off her shoes before entering a Thai restaurant on Koh Phangan, saying "My money built your country".
