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Sondhi urges 15-day visas for Israeli visitors
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Sondhi Limthongkul has called for Israeli visitors to be limited to a single 15-day Thai visa, telling a rally in Phuket that the measure would address alleged misconduct by some Israeli tourists.
Speaking on 31 October at Saphan Hin Cape in Phuket, Sondhi also proposed grouping Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi into a tax-free special economic zone with international education facilities.
Call for tighter Israeli visitor rules
Sondhi told the "Unite the Land, Take Our Thailand Back" gathering that Phuket needed "quality tourists" who stay for extended periods and spend money locally.
He alleged that some Israeli visitors had behaved badly, failed to respect Thai laws and culture, and used businesses within Israeli networks rather than spending money more widely in the local economy. He also claimed that high-spending European visitors had been leaving Phuket as a result, although he provided no evidence for the assertion.
He said the Foreign Minister should summon the Israeli ambassador and restrict tourist visas for Israelis to 15 days, with entry permitted only once. Sondhi said Malaysia did not welcome holders of Israeli passports and referred to islands in the Philippines where local communities had reportedly sought to remove Israeli visitors.
Andaman economic zone proposal
Sondhi said Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi could no longer develop independently, and should instead operate as a single special economic area connecting tourism, education, investment and the wider economy.
He proposed tax incentives and a duty-free zone intended to attract investment and strengthen the three provinces' international competitiveness.
Among his suggestions was the creation of a world-class international university in Phuket. He cited China's Tsinghua University, Oxford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as examples of institutions that could give local young people access to overseas-standard education without leaving Thailand.
He added that young people in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga should be seriously trained in English and Chinese, allowing them to compete internationally as professionals and entrepreneurs rather than only working in tourism support roles.
Support for Krabi convoy
During the rally, Sondhi announced a 100,000-baht contribution towards fuel costs for a vehicle convoy led by Kamnan Mano, the village head of Krabi Noi in Krabi.
The group plans to travel to Bangkok and Government House to press the government over household hardship, living costs and fuel prices. Organisers aim to assemble 1,000 vehicles and invite people from across the country to join.
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