The Israeli Embassy in Thailand warns against false stories being spread on the networks about Israelis in the country, including allegations of theft and waving of Israeli flags around Copenhagen. In a video published on October 16, Deputy Head of Mission Rami Teplitsky refuted two such claims: the tourists accused of theft were not Israeli, and the images of Israeli flags were fake content created by artificial intelligence.
“Fake news not only spreads false information. It may create fear, deepen misunderstandings and unfairly harm people and entire communities,” the embassy said in its statement. “Don’t just believe the headlines,” Teplitsky said in the video, calling to check sources and exercise critical thinking before accepting claims on the networks or sharing them.
One of the cases he referred to happened recently in Patong in Phuket: two tourists were accused of taking products from a convenience store without paying. Teplitsky clarified that the incident itself did take place, but the identification of the tourists as Israelis was incorrect. According to him, the Thai police confirmed that those involved had other nationalities, as was also the case from reports published later.
In the case of Copenhagen, Teplitsky said the local authorities looked into the claim that many Israeli flags were flown across the island, and confirmed that the incident did not happen at all. According to him, the images that were distributed were created using artificial intelligence. The embassy said that in recent times, more false stories about Israelis in Thailand, including claims of mass immigration and inappropriate behavior, have been circulated online.
Teplitsky made it clear that misconduct can occur anywhere and that people must be held accountable for their actions. Along with this, he called to check the credibility and the source of stories concerning Israelis or Israel before drawing conclusions. The embassy said it welcomes genuine concerns and open discussion, but emphasized that they must be based on verified facts. The embassy thanked the Thai public for their hospitality, and said that accurate understanding is the basis for long-term friendship.