The Embassy of Israel in Thailand has confirmed that the tourists involved in an 8,000-baht (roughly US$230) restaurant bill dispute in Patong were from Saudi Arabia and Morocco, not Israel, and has urged the public to verify nationalities before sharing reports online.
The dispute broke out at a restaurant in Patong, Phuket, after a group of foreign tourists reportedly ordered food worth about 8,000 baht and then refused to pay. Patong Police were called to the restaurant and took the group to the station for further proceedings.
Footage and reports of the incident spread widely on social media from August 19, with many posts wrongly identifying the tourists as Israeli nationals. Patong Police issued a correction on August 23, stating that the individuals involved were from Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
The Embassy of Israel followed up on August 27 with a statement confirming the correction. The embassy said the inaccurate report had circulated rapidly online and warned that publishing unverified details, particularly a person’s nationality, risks causing serious misunderstanding and harm.
It also raised concern that the false reporting could fuel prejudice or hostility toward Israeli tourists and the Israeli community in Thailand. The embassy called on media outlets, social media users and the public to check facts with the relevant police station or agency before naming a nationality in connection with an incident.
With the correction now confirmed by both Patong Police and the Embassy of Israel, the tourists involved in the bill dispute were Saudi Arabian and Moroccan nationals, not Israeli visitors as first reported.
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The story Israel Embassy clarifies nationality in Patong bill row as seen on Thaiger News.
