Jewish New Year Festival in Phuket: Local Community Receives No Benefits, Only 'Leftover Trash'

MGR Online (South) has reported on a Jewish New Year festival held in Phuket, southern Thailand, stating that it brought minimal economic benefits to the local community and left only an environmental burden. According to the report, the religious event primarily benefited a select group of business individuals, with the general residents of Phuket not experiencing any advantages from the festival. Furthermore, it was pointed out that only 'leftover trash' remained after the event concluded, raising questions about the event's format from the perspective of sustainable tourism and contribution to the local community. Phuket is known as an international tourist destination. However, when large-scale events are held, the extent to which their economic impact reaches local residents and how their environmental impact is managed become significant issues. This incident suggests the potential to highlight structural problems in Thailand's tourism policy, such as the distribution of tourism revenue and coexistence with local communities.