BANGKOK — 7 September 2026, Thailand has ordered a French national deported from the country after authorities said his conduct posed a serious threat to public order and the well-being of others.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed Interior Ministry Order No. 2355/2026 on 7 September ordering the deportation of Kevin Dimino, a French national, from the Kingdom.
Following the order to deport Israeli national Yaacov Ohayon, making Dimino the second foreign national recently ordered out of the country under the new deportation framework.
According to the order, Ohayon sent threatening messages to the victim, warning that the person’s life and physical safety were at risk.
The deportation order of Dimino
The order said Dimino had allegedly engaged in threatening and intimidating behaviour, physical assault and conduct causing trouble and annoyance to others. Authorities also accused him of creating divisions among people based on race and religion and causing conflict among tourists.
The order further stated that he had engaged in reckless behaviour that could endanger other people or their property, without regard for their safety or causing them inconvenience.
The authorities said such conduct violated the law and was contrary to public order, good morals and the well-being of the public.
The deportation order also cited a ruling by the Koh Samui Provincial Court, which found Dimino guilty under Sections 43(4) and 43(8), together with Section 158/1, second paragraph, of the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
The court initially imposed a fine of 10,000 baht. As Dimino pleaded guilty and his admission was deemed beneficial to the proceedings, the court reduced the punishment by half under Section 78 of the Criminal Code, leaving a fine of 5,000 baht.
The ruling stated that failure to pay the fine would be dealt with under Sections 29 and 30 of the Criminal Code, and that the court ordered the confiscation of the seized item.
The Interior Ministry said Dimino’s conduct fell within grounds for deportation under Section 5 of the Deportation Act B.E. 2499 (1956), as it was deemed contrary to public order, good morals or the well-being of the public.
Anutin therefore exercised his authority under Section 5 of the Deportation Act, together with Regulation No. 4 of the Prime Minister’s Office Regulation on Deportation B.E. 2569 (2026), to order Dimino to leave Thailand.
Koh Samui dispute involving Israeli tourists
The deportation order comes amid a wider dispute on Koh Samui involving foreign tourists and a local zoo operator.
Jindarat, 35, owner of Samui Exotic Park, and her husband Dimino, recently filed a police complaint alleging that a group of Israeli tourists had repeatedly violated the zoo’s rules and later harassed her and threatened to harm her family and burn down her home and zoo.
Jindarat said the dispute began when the group allegedly refused to pay admission fees, requested refunds and behaved in ways she considered dangerous to the animals.
She alleged that members of the group had ignored instructions while feeding animals, opened cages and allowed animals that did not get along to come into contact. She also alleged that a visitor struck a bird after it landed on the person’s shoulder, causing the bird to collapse and die.
The zoo operator said she eventually displayed a Palestinian flag and refused entry to the group, saying the decision was intended to protect her business and staff rather than to target people based on nationality.
She subsequently alleged that she received messages threatening to harm her family and burn down her home, followed by a more recent threat to burn the zoo.
Jindarat also said she became concerned after allegedly seeing a vehicle repeatedly parked near and circling her home.
She also acknowledged that Dimino had gone to a business operated by the other party after receiving what she described as threatening and provocative messages. She denied allegations that her husband had threatened to prevent Israelis from living on Koh Samui.
According to Jindarat, the visit was recorded on video from her husband’s departure by car through his arrival, conversation at the location and return. She said the footage could be provided to authorities and made public to establish what happened.
She said her family was prepared to take responsibility for its own actions and provide evidence so authorities and the public could assess the dispute based on facts rather than competing allegations.
Seven-day appeal period
The order states that Dimino has the right to appeal directly to the prime minister if he disagrees with the deportation.
Under Section 8 of the Deportation Act, he may ask for the deportation order to be revoked or request that he not be removed from Thailand.
The appeal must be submitted within seven days of being informed of the order.
The deportation order was signed by Anutin on 7 September 2026.