Thai immigration authorities recently revoked the tourist visas of three bochurim, resulting in their deportation from the country. The decision was made following their energetic activities on the popular tourist island of Koh Phangan for a seder on the neighboring island of Koh Tao.

According to local officials, the highly visible nature of the outreach was perceived as a disruption to public order. The bochurim are accused of “waving religious flags, organizing rallies via WhatsApp, and distributing leaflets for activities on Koh Tao, causing panic and concern among locals and tourists.”

The district chief of Koh Phangan called a session bringing together representatives of the immigration police, the provincial police, the Koh Phangan and Koh Tao police stations, as well as the mayors of the two sub-districts and local authorities. At the end of the debates, the Committee decided to revoke the bochurim’s visas.

A member of the Israeli community in Bangkok told Hayom:

“Any event, party, or large gathering has to be coordinated with the authorities in Thailand, with the police and the embassy. Because they made noise, waved flags, and didn’t request permission to hold a large seder, their seder was canceled too.

“Anyone coming to organize a party or event in Thailand needs permits in advance, all the more so when it’s a religious event, on Pesach, during a war, when everything is already sensitive due to the security situation. They were walking around with flags and loudspeakers, calling people to come… The locals really didn’t like it. Koh Tao is a quiet island.”

It should be noted that the district had revoked 13 visas of foreign tourists in recent weeks for disruptive behavior and that it was pursuing enhanced surveillance to ensure the safety and confidence of visitors.