SURAT THANI — 8 September 2026, French national Kevin Dimino, owner of a zoo on Koh Samui, reported to immigration authorities to acknowledge a deportation order, denying that he had gone into hiding and saying he plans to appeal the decision.
Dimino arrived at Surat Thani Immigration accompanied by his wife, Jindarat, and a lawyer. He met Pol. Col. Naruwat Phutthawiro, superintendent of Surat Thani Immigration, and a Koh Samui district official.
Authorities formally read the deportation order to Dimino and recorded his acknowledgement. He was subsequently taken to Koh Samui Police Station to be held pending procedures to deport him to France.
Authorities said Dimino and his Israeli counterpart in the dispute, Yakov Ohayon, would be detained at separate police stations as a precaution against further confrontation. Ohayon is to be held at Bo Phut Police Station, while Dimino will remain at Koh Samui Police Station.
The Department of Provincial Administration separately released a statement outlining what it described as Dimino’s conduct that posed a threat to society.
The allegations included allegedly threatening and verbally abusing the owner and teachers of a local language school; physically assaulting a Turkish national and threatening him with a knife; behaving abusively and using offensive language outside a private establishment; assaulting a foreign tourist and throwing a sign at the person; and making offensive remarks toward the tourist’s family.
The authorities also cited a social media post allegedly encouraging people opposed to foreigners from certain countries to gather at the zoo in what officials described as a symbolic political and religious demonstration that could contribute to racial, religious and political divisions.
Another incident cited by authorities involved Dimino allegedly being removed from a domestic flight after a fellow passenger was threatened.
The Department of Provincial Administration said the alleged conduct was considered contrary to public order, public morals and the well-being of the public, and could create divisions over race, religion and politics or damage relations between Thailand and other countries.
Dimino’s wife, Jindarat, disputed the characterization of her husband’s actions and said she was confused by the deportation order, arguing that Dimino had been acting to protect her as his wife.
She acknowledged that Dimino had gone to a business establishment in Bo Phut on 29 August after they allegedly received threats that the business would be shut down. She said he had shouted at people there, which resulted in a harassment complaint.
Jindarat also rejected reports that her husband had disappeared after the deportation order was signed.
“He did not disappear. He was still in the Ban Tai area having steak,” she said, adding that it was a Monday, when the zoo was closed. She said no authorities had contacted or visited them despite having ways to reach the family.
Jindarat said she did not want to comment on whether the process had been fair but questioned the information contained in the official document and how some of the incidents had been classified.
She also questioned whether a traffic violation involving a foreign national who allegedly failed to pay a fine but posted bail of 100,000 baht should be considered a serious offence. She said the family had a receipt showing a 5,000-baht fine and planned to challenge the matter in the appeal.
According to Jindarat, Dimino was not particularly stressed by the deportation order but was disappointed, especially because she believed they had been the victims in the dispute yet her husband was now being treated as an alleged aggressor.
She said the family had completed the documents and evidence needed for an appeal and planned to submit them directly to the Ministry of Interior within the next few days, no later than Friday.
While Dimino is detained, his brother has been assigned to temporarily manage the zoo.
