Thais Rally at Israeli Embassy Over Land and Conduct Claims

Hundreds of Thai demonstrators rallied outside the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok on Thursday, in a rare public protest directed at a group of foreign nationals. Led by veteran activist and media figure Sondhi Limthongkul, the crowd waved Thai flags and carried banners reading Thailand Is Not For Sale and This Is Not The Promised Land, alongside placards about land ownership, sovereignty and the conduct of foreign visitors. Some placards were reported to be plainly antisemitic. The rally was the first street action under Sondhi's newly launched Take Our Thailand Back campaign, announced on September 7. It followed months of complaints in Thai communities about alleged illegal landholding, cultural friction and the growth of Israeli-linked religious centres. The campaign delivered four demands covering the conduct of Israeli nationals, cooperation with Thai authorities, scrutiny of land holdings and Chabad centres, and compliance with international humanitarian law. Sondhi said he had rejected an offer of a private meeting with Israel's ambassador, arguing the campaign was being run on behalf of the Thai public.