The owner, Thanapol Pathan, posted videos of the incident on Facebook on Monday (Mar 9). The footage shows him telling the man to leave the restaurant, ‘Khan butchery’, located in Soi Bang Malao, just inland from Nai Yang Beach, and following him outside while continuing to film and complain as the foreigner walked onto the public road.
In the video, Thanapol can be heard repeatedly shouting “Free Palestine!” while the Israeli man also appears to film the owner and the restaurant before leaving.
The clips quickly spread across Thai social media, prompting debate among netizens.
Many commenters supported Thanapol’s actions, with some referencing previous alleged criminal cases and inappropriate behaviour involving Israeli tourists in Thailand.
Others criticised Thanalol Thanapol’s response, arguing that it escalated the situation and warning that such confrontations could harm Thailand’s reputation as a welcoming destination for visitors from different countries, cultures and religions.
Following the online reaction, Thanapol later gave an interview to the Phuket Times Facebook page to explain what he said had happened before the confrontation.
Of note, Thanapol did not post his own comments on his own Facebook page, or the Facebook page of his business.
Regardless, according to Thanapol, the Israeli man initiated the dispute after noticing the Palestinian flag displayed inside the restaurant.
The owner said the man entered the premises and began talking about his religion, attempting to persuade him to adopt his beliefs. The situation escalated when the customer allegedly demanded that the Palestinian flag be removed, which the owner refused.
“As the restaurant owner and a Muslim, I admit I was angry because I felt it was an insult to my rights and faith in my own place,” Thanapol said in the interview. “So I asked him to leave the store, as shown in the video.”
He added that it was the first time he had faced such a confrontation, though foreign tourists had previously asked him to remove the flag at least five times. Each time, he refused, saying he believed it was his right to display it inside his own business.
The owner also noted that he was fasting for Ramadan at the time of the incident, describing the holy month as an important period in his faith.
He said he chose to speak publicly to clarify the situation and help end the online dispute, adding that he wanted to continue doing good deeds in line with his religious beliefs.
The owner also thanked those who said they understood his position and urged the public not to escalate the matter further in order to avoid creating social division.