French National Ordered Deported from Thailand Over Samui Dispute

Thailand has ordered the deportation of a French national after authorities deemed his conduct 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 September 7, mandating the expulsion of Kevin Dimino from the Kingdom. This marks the second recent deportation of a foreign national under a new framework, following the order against Israeli national Yaacov Ohayon. According to the order, Dimino allegedly engaged in threatening and intimidating behavior, physical assault, and conduct causing trouble and annoyance to others. Authorities also accused him of creating divisions based on race and religion and inciting conflict among tourists. Furthermore, he is alleged to have engaged in reckless behavior that could endanger others or their property, disregarding their safety or causing them inconvenience. Dimino's conduct also led to a ruling by the Koh Samui Provincial Court, which found him guilty under sections of the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979). He was initially fined 10,000 baht, but this was reduced to 5,000 baht after he pleaded guilty and his admission was deemed beneficial to the proceedings, as per Section 78 of the Criminal Code. Failure to pay the fine would result in further action under Sections 29 and 30 of the Criminal Code, with confiscation of seized items ordered. The Interior Ministry determined that Dimino's actions fell under the grounds for deportation as stipulated in Section 5 of the Deportation Act B.E. 2499 (1956), deeming them contrary to public order, good morals, or the well-being of the public. Anutin exercised his authority under this section, along with Regulation No. 4 of the Prime Minister’s Office Regulation on Deportation B.E. 2569 (2026), to order Dimino's departure from Thailand. The deportation order comes amidst a broader dispute on Koh Samui involving foreign tourists and a local zoo operator. Jindarat, 35, owner of Samui Exotic Park, and her husband Dimino, had filed a police complaint alleging that a group of Israeli tourists repeatedly violated zoo rules and subsequently harassed her, threatening her family and their property. Jindarat claims the dispute began when the group allegedly refused to pay admission fees, demanded refunds, and engaged in behavior she considered dangerous to the animals, including opening cages and allowing incompatible animals to interact. She also alleged that a visitor struck a bird after it landed on their shoulder, causing it to die. The zoo operator stated she displayed a Palestinian flag and denied entry to the group, asserting the decision was to protect her business and staff, not to target individuals based on nationality. She subsequently reported receiving threats to her family and property, including a threat to burn down the zoo. Jindarat also expressed concern over a vehicle repeatedly circling her home. She acknowledged Dimino visited a business operated by the other party after receiving what she described as threatening messages, but denied allegations that her husband threatened to prevent Israelis from living on Koh Samui. Jindarat stated that video footage of the incident could be provided to authorities and the public to establish the facts. Dimino has a seven-day period to appeal the order directly to the prime minister if he disagrees with the deportation. Under Section 8 of the Deportation Act, he may request the order be revoked or that he not be removed from Thailand. The appeal must be submitted within seven days of being informed of the order. Source: Khaosod English