Thai Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Anutin Charnvirakul signed an executive decree revoking the Thai citizenship of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor, the long-standing chief rabbi of Thailand and head emissary of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in the kingdom, Thai news outlet
THE STANDARD reported.The decision follows an official inquiry by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which operates under the Thai Ministry of Justice.
The investigation found that Rabbi Kantor used his United States passport for international travel after his naturalization, in direct contravention of the statutory conditions governing Thai citizenship acquisition.
Rabbi Kantor, a native-born U.S. citizen who arrived in Bangkok in 1993 to serve the local Jewish community and lead Chabad’s institutional growth across Thailand, was formally granted Thai citizenship by naturalization in April 2013 under Section 10 of Thailand’s Nationality Act.
Thai authorities then issued his official national identity card on May 2, 2013.
However, the DSI probe documented that Kantor systematically retained and utilized his American citizenship credentials for border crossings.
Investigators confirmed that he traveled on his U.S. passport on 16 separate journeys into and out of Australia, with the final documented trip occurring on January 26, 2026.
Under Thailand’s Nationality Act of 1965—specifically Section 19(2)—the Minister of the Interior has statutory authority to revoke the citizenship of a naturalized individual if evidence shows they continue to use their former nationality or exercise rights associated with their prior allegiance.
Thai regulatory authorities determined that this continuous usage constituted an explicit breach of naturalization conditions that had been clarified to Kantor during the initial vetting process.
The administrative order arrives amid increased regulatory and corporate scrutiny in Thailand regarding foreign entities, land acquisitions, and institutional holdings.
Chabad representatives in Thailand stated that while they regret the administrative decree, they maintain full faith in the kingdom’s legal institutions and are addressing the matter through proper judicial and administrative appeals, confirming that Chabad centers throughout Thailand continue their daily operations, services, and hospitality without interruption.