Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday dismissed online rumours that Pai district of Mae Hong Son province is home to some 30,000 Israelis, saying they are false.
"Hold on a moment," Ms Paetongtarn said. "We've already verified that this is not true," she said when asked by media if some Israelis viewed Pai as a new "promised land" and that more than 30,000 had settled in the district.
"Next week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Anutin Charnvirakul will visit the area to get the full picture of what is happening in Pai," she said.
Conspiracies regarding Israeli tourists in Pai have arisen following social media chatter suggesting that a large number of Israelis have fled the Israel-Hamas war and settled in Pai district, leading to the creation of Israeli communities.
This comes after representatives of residents affected by foreign tourists gathered on Jan 8 to submit a petition to the Pai police chief and the Pai District Office.
They requested an investigation and legal action against foreigners allegedly working without proper authorisation or holding many noisy parties.
Mae Hong Son Tourist Police revealed that Pai has a population of about 38,000 while also denying the social media claims that about 30,000 Israelis live in Pai.
The number is, in fact, an accumulated number of Israeli tourists throughout last year. On average, there are 83-84 Israeli tourists staying per day. The top tourists visiting Pai are British, Israeli, American, and German.
Regarding another local's concern about a Chabad House in Pai, the police said the site is used for ceremonies on Fridays and Saturdays. The site has a capacity for 200 people.
Seven Chabad houses are located in other areas, including Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, and Phangan. The largest is in Bangkok.
Local administrative officials clarified that there had been only around 3,000 Israeli visitors and residents in Pai so far this year.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said Israeli tourists are eligible for a 60-day visa-free entry to Thailand, following the ministry's policy.