The National Security Council (NSC) of Israel raised the travel warning for Thailand to Level 2 on Sunday, citing an ongoing threat to Israelis in the Southeast Asian country. This update followed an alert first issued nearly two weeks ago.
On November 12, the NSC urged Israelis to exercise increased vigilance due to “the emergence of a potential threat to Israelis” in Thailand.
In its latest statement, the NSC explained that the renewed alert was issued “in light of the persistence of the threat.” It emphasized that the threat level had not escalated but stated that the council was “sharpening and bolstering” its recommendations.
Level 2 travel advisories recommend that travelers “take increased precautionary measures” but do not call for avoiding or leaving the country altogether.
The NSC advised Israelis to “avoid attending large-scale events associated with Israel, especially those announced in advance, as well as places of entertainment and gatherings linked to Israel.” It also urged them to report any exposure to hostile activity targeting Israelis to local security forces.
The November 12 warning coincided with reports from Thai police about a potential terror plot targeting the November 15 Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan, a popular vacation destination. The event was expected to attract thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of Israeli visitors.
These warnings came against the backdrop of allegations involving an Iran-backed plot against Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka, reportedly connected to an assassination attempt on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
A severe travel alert for Sri Lanka was lifted on November 14.
The latest warning about Thailand coincided with the discovery of the body of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an emissary to Abu Dhabi’s Chabad chapter, who had been missing since last week.
Israel’s embassy described Rabbi Kogan’s killing as “a despicable antisemitic act of terror.”
According to reports from the Ynet outlet, officials suspect several Uzbek nationals recruited by Iran were involved in the assault on the rabbi before fleeing to Turkey.
Israel remains on high alert for Iranian efforts to target Israelis and Jews globally through its agents and proxies. This heightened vigilance follows direct military exchanges between Israel and Iran earlier this year.
In April and October, Iran carried out major drone and ballistic missile attacks against Israel in response to Israeli strikes on Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Syria.
In late October, Israel launched a series of retaliatory strikes involving dozens of aircraft, targeting strategic military sites and air defense systems across Iran.
While Iran has vowed to retaliate, it has not yet done so in any significant way.
