By Patpicha Tanakasempipat | Updated on Oct 09, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Thai authorities searched the premises of the Jewish Association of Thailand in Bangkok, as well as a Chabad House and the office of a company linked to the Jewish center’s business operations as part of a widening crackdown on illegal foreign-run businesses.
“The Interior Ministry is scrutinizing the finances and operations of the foundation and the association,” Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee told reporters during a briefing Thursday evening. “We will review the evidence collected and wherever that evidence leads us, we will take further action.”
Polapee added that Thai authorities aren’t targeting only Israelis, saying they will pursue investigations “wherever issues arise.”
Across Thailand’s tourism hotspots, there has been a sharp rise in foreign-run businesses catering to overseas tourists. Some circumvent Thai ownership laws by using locals as “nominee” shareholders for business registration or land acquisition purposes, a practice that’s fueled tensions with domestic business owners, whose livelihoods depend on tourism-related operations such as restaurants and hotels.
Over the past few months, the government has investigated thousands of businesses with foreign-Thai ownership structures and it’s led to the arrests of more than 110 foreigners and dozens of warrants.
Read More: A Southeast Asian Tourist Paradise Reconsiders Its Welcome
The opening of Chabad Houses — Orthodox Jewish community centers affiliated with the New York-based Chabad-Lubavitch movement — has also become a flashpoint in Thailand, perceived by locals as an effort by Israelis to establish long-term communities.
Last month, the government halved visa-free entry for most nationalities from 60 to 30 days, making it harder for foreigners to abuse tourist visas for long-term stays or to set up businesses.
Read More: Thailand Presses Israeli Ambassador Over Badly Behaved Tourists
At the three Bangkok sites that were searched on Thursday, authorities found five Myanmar and Lao workers without proper work permits and pressed charges against two individuals identified as employers, according to Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation.
It’s quite common for businesses in Thailand’s tourist hubs to hire workers from neighboring countries, particularly Myanmar, as migrant labor can be cheaper and businesses catering largely to foreign customers have less need for Thai-speaking staff.
Authorities also found receipts of donations, tax filings, papers showing land purchases, and restaurant and hotel permits.
The Department of Special Investigation said it plans to investigate around 60 companies that were registered to the same addresses and shared the same group of individuals as shareholders, including foreigners who had acquired Thai citizenship through naturalization.
“Thailand welcomes foreigners who come to reside, invest, conduct business or engage in activities in good faith and in compliance with Thai law,” the agency said. “However, this openness must not be exploited to circumvent the law, illicitly appropriate the country’s resources or create structures that lead to conflict and compromise national security.”