A rowdy outburst by an Israeli tourist at a café in Thailand has ignited fury online and sparked a fierce cultural debate between locals and foreign visitors. The woman, now identified as Kesem Cohen, was caught on video refusing to remove her shoes at a café in Koh Phangan, a popular Thai island, before launching into an arrogant tirade where she claimed: 'My money built your country'.
The incident unfolded on 5 May, when Cohen allegedly defied a request to respect a deeply rooted Thai custom—removing shoes before entering certain indoor spaces—and was filmed arguing with locals. In the now-viral 15-second video, she is seen raising her hand in frustration and appearing to dismiss the request with a smirk, before uttering the comment that has since sparked widespread condemnation.
