Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul sparked outrage Thursday with an unprecedented and inflammatory statement directed at foreign nationals in the country—particularly Jews—following the removal of four graves from a Jewish cemetery near Bangkok.
Speaking at the Interior Ministry in Bangkok, Charnvirakul delivered an aggressive message to foreigners living in Thailand, making clear that those who violate the country’s laws and exploit locals will be forced to leave. The remarks came after authorities ordered the evacuation of four graves from the Jewish cemetery near the capital earlier this week.
On Tuesday, four graves were transferred from the Jewish cemetery near Bangkok to a new burial plot after local Thai authorities ordered the site cleared within days. The cemetery was purchased about five years ago by the Jewish community and Chabad, but in recent months authorities refused to renew the burial license. Later in the week, the governor of Phuket province announced an investigation into Chabad, after a Rosh Hashanah dinner for 2,000 Israelis was abruptly canceled at the last minute.
The prime minister also addressed a request on his desk to establish a private cemetery, saying such a request crosses every reasonable boundary and that no religious site can be established without respecting Thai culture. He said foreigners staying in the country are already lucky to have been allowed to come, and instructed his officials to immediately deport foreigners who violate the law. He emphasized that the state will bear deportation costs rather than hold offenders in detention facilities, and ordered tough action against signs barring locals from entering certain compounds.
Charnvirakul clarified that his instructions are not directed at citizens of any particular country, noting that the cases include nationals from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. He said Thailand continues to welcome tourists and investors who bring benefits, but that does not grant the right to conduct illegal activities. He ordered provincial governors, particularly in Phuket and Surat Thani, to exercise their full authority to crack down on offenses such as using straw men, working without permits, and turning the country into a base for criminal activity.