MAE HONG SON: More than 1,600 foreigners were arrested in Pai district last year, mostly for traffic and immigration violations, and Israeli visitors made up just 13 of those in the second category, according to police.
Pol Maj Gen Songkrit Ontakrai, commander of Mae Hong Son police, was commenting yesterday after rumours spread on social media about Pai locals having experienced many problems with allegedly "unruly" Israeli visitors.
He said that over the past year, police arrested 1,634 foreigners in Pai for breaking traffic rules and 27 visitors, including 13 Israelis, for immigration offences.
Since there are a total of 3,257 rooms for rent in Pai, Pol Maj Gen Songkrit said that conspiracy theories circulating on social media that there were more than 30,000 Israeli visitors in Pai made absolutely no sense.
Locals in Pai district do not have problems with most Israeli tourists, he said.
Yesterday, police, administrators, and officials checked tourist attractions and commercial areas in Pai and found that all local businesses belonged to Thais.
They did not find any Israeli or other influence or control over businesses as social media reports had claimed, he said.
"Police, administrators and relevant officials have examined all streets, car rental premises, guesthouses, religious facilities, villages and hotels. All businesses belong to Thais, and no foreigners own them," the commander said.
During the inspections, officials also warned visitors not to cause a nuisance, smoke cigarettes or cannabis or drink alcohol in public places, he said.
The commander led a patrol on Pai Walking Street on Saturday night. During the patrol, police arrested and fined ten people for smoking cannabis in a way that bothered others, Pol Maj Gen Songkrit said.
According to the commander, there are 84 licensed cannabis shops on Pai Walking Street.
