NIDA poll finds most Thais want Thai law strictly enforced on Israeli visitors
A NIDA poll of 1,410 people in six provinces found 76% had heard reports of misconduct by Israelis. Most of those want Thai law strictly enforced. The story NIDA poll finds most Thais want Thai law strictly enforced on Israeli visitors as seen on Thaiger News .
A recent National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) poll reveals that the majority of Thais who have heard accounts of alleged misconduct by Israeli visitors desire strict enforcement of Thai law. Of the 1,410 eligible voters polled, 76.38% reported having heard news stories about inappropriate or illegal behavior by Israelis in Thailand.
Only 5.11% claimed personal experience, while 17.45% had neither heard nor experienced such incidents. Conducting the telephone survey between September 8 and 10, NIDA ensured a multi-stage probability sampling from its database, covering Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Surat Thani, Phuket, and Mae Hong Son. The margin of error for this 97% confidence level was no more than 0.05.
However, the survey's sample of six provinces does not accurately represent national opinion. The poll did not verify the occurrence of the alleged behavior. Respondents expressed their concerns about disregard for Thai law, rude or contemptuous behavior towards Thais, and disrespect for Thai culture, with 71.22%, 46.39%, and 45.96% respectively.
Additionally, 31.44% and 29.04% cited the alleged use of Thai nominees to hold land and businesses, while 16.41% cited visa overstays. Fewer than a third of respondents (2.41%) expressed no concern, and 1.98% were uncertain about the reports' credibility. When asked about the appropriate response, 77.49% of respondents favored strict law enforcement, while 45.45% advocated shortening the length of time Israelis may stay in Thailand, and 38.49% suggested the Israeli Embassy supervise its nationals more closely.
Only 6.62% called for deportation of offenders, and a smaller percentage advocated caution, with 1.2% suggesting first verifying the reports and 1.12% arguing that Thailand should avoid a harsh response due to potential negative effects on tourism. The protest against Israeli nationals in Thailand was initiated by activist Sondhi Limthongkul on September 10, followed by the Israeli Embassy's response through a Thai-language video and the distribution of a leaflet to Israeli visitors.
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