The Koh Samui Provincial Court has ordered a 5,000-baht fine against an Israeli man for making a threat against the life of a Thai woman operating a zoo on Koh Samui. The court suspended the fine for two years, though authorities ordered the visitor to abide by Thai law.
Jindarat Sattayapun, owner of Samui Exotic Park on the southern island, filed a complaint with Koh Samui police after discovering a threat on her life posted to Facebook by an Israeli man identified only as Mr Jacob. Following the report, police established a checkpoint in front of Samui Exotic Park from August 15 and eventually arrested Mr Jacob, bringing him to court for the alleged offense.
Koh Samui police station indicated that investigations are ongoing to identify another person who reportedly placed a 500,000-baht bounty on the zoo owner. Separate reports also documented that an Israeli national posted demands for Ms Jindarat to shut down her zoo and leave Koh Samui.
The incidents stem from an episode on August 12 when an Israeli couple with two children claimed they were refused entry to Samui Exotic Park. Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee acknowledged receiving reports of disputes between the Thai zoo owner and Israeli expatriates living on the island.
Ms Jindarat explained her decision to deny zoo entry to Israeli nationals, stating that several had refused to pay admission fees, taken animal feed from other visitors’ baskets, violated zoo rules, and squirted milk onto the pigs’ faces. The zoo operator’s account provides context for the tensions that preceded the threats against her.