Israeli arrivals spike in Thailand — Koh Samui and Koh Phangan lead
Israeli arrivals in Thailand top 500,000 in four month, ranking third for foreign accommodation reports in Thailand, with Surat Thani, Phuket and Bangkok among key areas
Israeli nationals have become one of the largest groups of foreign visitors reporting accommodation in Thailand, with more than 500,000 recorded in the first four months of 2026, according to the latest data under Section 38 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522.
The figures, updated in May, show a significant movement of Israeli nationals entering and staying in Thailand, with key concentrations in major tourist provinces in the South and Bangkok.
Israeli arrivals top half a million in four months
From January 1 to the latest available data, a total of 2,813,820 foreign nationals reported accommodation in Thailand.
Israeli nationals accounted for 508,181 reports, ranking third after:
- Russia: 1.1 million
- India: 1.09 million
- Israel: 508,181
Compared with countries in the Middle East and nearby regions, Israel’s figure was far higher:
- Israel: 508,181
- Ukraine: 45,965
- Pakistan: 39,434
- Iran: 14,138
- Lebanon: 4,443
Southern tourism areas draw the highest numbers
Provincial Police Region 8, which covers major southern tourist destinations, recorded the highest number of foreign accommodation reports, with 1,430,698.
The top provinces were:
- Phuket: 879,397
- Bangkok: 625,234
- Chonburi: 545,803
- Krabi: 256,174
- Surat Thani: 230,757
Daily arrivals remain broadly stable
On May 6, a total of 1,007 Israeli nationals entered Thailand, while 1,200 departed.
The cumulative number was considered broadly stable, as departures were roughly in line with arrivals.
More than 23,000 Israelis still staying in Thailand
As of May 7, 2026, a total of 23,107 Israeli nationals were still staying in Thailand across all categories.
This placed Israel second among the target nationality groups, behind the United States, which recorded 87,961 people.
The Israeli total was divided into:
- Accommodation reported by hosts under Section 38: 17,743
- Under verification: 4,641
- Long-stay category: 723
The data suggests Thailand remains a major destination for Israeli nationals, both for short-term travel and continued stays, with key areas including Phuket, Surat Thani and Bangkok.
Israelis rank second among foreigners staying in Thailand
Separate cumulative data up to May 7, 2026, showed 84,060 foreign nationals staying in Thailand among the listed target groups.
The top nationalities included:
- United States: 46,463
- Israel: 17,743
- Saudi Arabia: 4,957
- Turkey: 4,688
- United Arab Emirates: 2,073
Surat Thani and Koh Phangan emerge as Israeli hotspots
Among Israeli nationals, the data shows that the group is not concentrated mainly in Bangkok.
Instead, many are staying in island and southern tourism areas.
The top provinces for Israeli stays were:
- Surat Thani: 6,638, especially Koh Samui and Koh Phangan
- Bangkok: 3,069
- Phuket: 2,801
- Chonburi: 1,480
- Krabi: 1,158
Israeli nationals were also found staying in northern tourist provinces such as Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son, which are popular among Israeli backpackers.
