Probe ordered after Koh Samui zoo owners reports death threat by Israeli

The Ministry of Interior has intervened in a dispute between Israeli tourists and the owners of a zoo on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province, Thailand. The zoo owners, Sai and her French husband, claim they received death threats from an Israeli man after they refused to serve Israeli nationals. Sai stated that the decision was not based on political issues but was a result of negative experiences with Israeli visitors at the zoo.

The Israeli man, who claimed to be related to an Israeli family refused service by the zoo, alleged that a zoo employee had assaulted and insulted him in front of his children. In response, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee ordered local agencies and police to investigate the matter. The zoo owners maintain that they have the right to refuse service to Israeli customers, similar to how Israeli businesses may restrict access to people of other nationalities. The investigation is ongoing, with competing accounts yet to be resolved.