KOH SAMUI, Thailand – A French man dressed as Spider-Man has been arrested on Koh Samui after allegedly entering the Samui Exotic Park and carrying out a bizarre protest involving an Israeli flag, Pokémon cards and a message calling for peace. The incident reportedly took place on 20 September 2026 at the animal park in Mae Nam, which has already been at the centre of a highly publicised dispute involving its French owner, Israeli visitors and the display of a Palestinian flag, with Thai authorities having previously investigated threats and other incidents connected to the dispute.

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According to the account provided by police, the 36-year-old French national, identified as Sasha, arrived wearing a black Spider-Man mask and long-sleeved clothing and allegedly entered the property without permission before approaching the front of the park. In footage of the incident, the man can reportedly be heard talking to the camera and saying that he wanted to save all the Pokémon and bring peace to the world. He then removed a vinyl banner displaying an Israeli flag along with a No Entry sign from the building and replaced it with a colourful banner carrying the message IMAGINE ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN PEACE.

He also placed Pokémon plush toys and other items on a cloth, reportedly describing the display as a symbolic gesture connected to his belief that animals should not be kept in captivity. The protest continued with the man repeatedly calling for the Pokémon to be saved before scattering a large number of Pokémon cards across the ground, after which he left the area on a motorcycle.

The zoo owner subsequently reported the incident to Koh Samui Police Station and requested that the person responsible be located and prosecuted. At around 6pm on 19 September, investigators from Koh Samui Police Station, assisted by local patrol officers and Surat Thani immigration officials, located the suspect at a hotel in the Lipa Noi area. Police identified him as a 36-year-old French national named Sasha and arrested him on a trespassing charge. Authorities reportedly seized around 80 Pokémon cards, two Pokémon plush toys, the peace banner, the Spider-Man costume, the vinyl banner featuring the Israeli flag and his motorcycle, with police saying the investigation was continuing and that the suspect had been handed over to investigators for further legal proceedings.

During questioning, Sasha reportedly told investigators that he believed the Israeli flag and the ongoing dispute surrounding the zoo were creating division among tourists, and he allegedly said he removed the flag and replaced it with the peace banner because he wanted to send a message about peace. Authorities also found that Sasha holds a Non-Immigrant visa and works as a marketing manager for a company on Koh Samui, with his current permission to remain in Thailand reportedly running until 20 July 2027. The investigation also found that he is the son of a French man who was previously charged by Surat Thani Immigration in connection with an alleged nominee business operation involving a hotel.

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The incident adds another unusual chapter to the ongoing controversy surrounding Samui Exotic Park, which has already involved protests, threats, police investigations and immigration action involving foreign nationals. Thai authorities have previously stressed that disputes involving foreign visitors should not be allowed to escalate into wider racial, religious or political tensions, and what started as a dispute over a flag has now involved a Spider-Man costume, Pokémon cards, a peace banner and a police arrest on Koh Samui.

-Thailand News (TN)