French Man in Spider-Man Suit Arrested at Samui Zoo
A French man in a Spider-Man costume was arrested at Samui Exotic Park after removing an Israeli flag and replacing it with a peace banner, claiming he wanted to promote unity among tourists.
A video showed a foreign man in black Spider-Man attire trespassing at Samui Exotic Park on Samui Island, Surat Thani Province, which is owned by a Thai woman and a French husband. The zoo had previously been in the news over racial disputes and threats against Israelis, resulting in deportations. The man told the camera, "Let's save all the Pokémon and give peace to this world," before removing an Israeli flag vinyl sticker from the building wall and replacing it with a colorful peace sign reading "IMAGINE ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN PEACE." He then arranged Pokémon figurines and cards on the banner, saying "Save them all. Release them all," before scattering about 80 Pokémon cards and fleeing on a motorcycle.
On the evening of September 19, Sub-Lieutenant Vorapong Chumvarathai, deputy superintendent of Koh Samui Police Station, led a team with Immigration Bureau officers that arrested Sacha, 36, a French national, at a hotel in Lipanoi Subdistrict. Police seized 80 Pokémon cards, two Pokémon figurines, the peace banner, the Spider-Man costume, the Israeli flag vinyl, and a motorcycle.
Checks showed Sacha holds a Non-Immigrant visa valid until July 20, 2027, and works as a marketing manager on the island. He is the son of Stefan, who faced charges in a nominee company case related to hotel operations last July. During preliminary questioning, Sacha admitted he removed the flag because he believed it created division among tourists and wanted to promote peace. He said he brought his personal Pokémon collection to symbolically protest keeping animals in captivity. No prior criminal record was found.
