Rosh Hashanah Event in Patong Reportedly Cancelled After Protests and Security Concerns

A planned Rosh Hashanah dinner at the Chabad Center in Patong was reportedly cancelled on September 11 after Israeli security officials raised concerns about the situation surrounding the event and hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the centre.

According to Israeli media reports, registered guests received messages announcing the cancellation only hours before the dinner was due to begin. Organisers reportedly cited recommendations from Israeli security personnel, who warned that escalating protests could create a risk of violence.

The event had initially been expected to go ahead after Chabad Patong agreed to reduce its scale following concerns raised by a local Phuket residents’ group. The revised plan called for the celebration to be held exclusively at the Patong centre, with attendance limited to around 700 people and the event scheduled from 4pm to 9pm.

The demonstration outside the centre was estimated at between 300 and 500 participants. It reportedly began at the Dolphin Roundabout before moving toward the Chabad Center.

According to reports, protesters included Thai Buddhists, Thai Muslims and foreign residents. Many carried Thai flags, sang the national anthem and held placards calling for the Rosh Hashanah celebration to be cancelled.

The protest followed an earlier campaign by the Protect Phuket Land activist group, which submitted a petition to provincial authorities on September 8 asking them to reconsider the event.

Following the petition, Phuket officials brought together relevant security agencies and invited representatives of Chabad Patong to discuss concerns related to public safety and stability.

Despite those concerns, Chabad Patong had initially maintained that the celebration would proceed. The eventual cancellation has since attracted attention from Israeli media, with reports describing the incident as an unusual disruption of a religious celebration abroad following local opposition.

The situation highlights the tensions that can arise between religious events, local public sentiment and security concerns in a major international tourism destination.