Hundreds of Jewish travelers and local residents gathered on Thailand’s Koh Samui island to celebrate the festival of Purim in a lively community event hosted at the island’s Chabad House.

The celebration drew a large international crowd to the center led by Rabbi Mendy Goldshmid, who has served the Jewish community and visiting travelers on the island for nearly two decades.

The event highlighted Koh Samui’s role as a welcoming destination for global visitors and as a vibrant meeting point for cultural and religious gatherings.

Approximately six hundred participants attended the public reading of the Megillah, the scroll recounting the story of Queen Esther and the deliverance of the Jewish people celebrated during the Purim holiday.

The gathering filled the Chabad center with music, celebration and the traditional sounds associated with the festival.

Following the reading, about five hundred attendees took part in the festive Purim meal, known as the seudah, sharing food, singing and communal celebration late into the evening.

The event reflected Purim’s long-standing traditions of public storytelling, charitable giving and joyful communal gatherings.

Purim is one of the most festive holidays in the Jewish calendar.

It commemorates the survival of the Jewish people in ancient Persia, as described in the Book of Esther, and is traditionally marked by readings of the Megillah, costume celebrations, gift-giving and communal feasting.

Koh Samui, a major tourist destination in southern Thailand, welcomes thousands of international visitors each week, including many Jewish travelers exploring Southeast Asia.

Over the years the Chabad center on the island has developed into a central hub for Jewish life, offering holiday programs, community meals and support services for travelers far from home.

The scale of Jewish gatherings on the island has grown significantly.

On a typical Friday night, the Chabad House hosts around fifteen hundred guests for Shabbat meals, reflecting the island’s popularity among international visitors.

Large holiday events have also become a hallmark of the community’s activities.

Each year, thousands of participants join the island’s Passover Seder celebration, which organizers say ranks among the largest in the world.

The Purim gathering illustrated the global character of Koh Samui’s tourism and the role of Thailand as a welcoming destination where diverse cultural and religious communities can celebrate their traditions openly while connecting with visitors from around the world.