In Phuket, recent incidents involving foreigners behaving badly could result in yellow or red card warnings under the new penalty system for misbehaving visitors. A red card penalty, for serious crimes, would lead to a one-way deportation out of Thailand and possibly a ban on returning.
Since the start of 2023, 181 foreigners have been charged with criminal offences, mostly in Patong.
Meanwhile, a 28 year old Dutch woman who was arrested at the Phuket International Airport for entering and staying in Thailand without a proper permit or visa. The Immigration Office at the airport stated that she was taken to the nearby Sakoo Police Station to face charges of entering and staying in the country without a permit, but it is unclear how she originally entered the country.
In another incident, a 30 year old Cambodian tour guide was arrested in Phuket for illegally operating a tour business, being an illegal tour guide, and working without permission. The Phuket Tourist Police arrested Mr. Sothy Roth Sam Oeurn and took him to the Phuket City Police Station for further legal action.
Lastly, a wild brawl involving foreign staff of a bar/restaurant and foreign tourists took place in Patong.
According to the Kathu police, after midnight on March 27, they were notified of a fight at a restaurant in Soi San Sabai. The three restaurant workers said that five foreign tourists of unknown nationality who were extremely intoxicated became enraged when they were told to wait in line for their food (other media report the alleged attackers to be Egyptian, Jordanian and Burmese).
The customers allegedly threw bottles into the bar, and the staff fought back using various weapons such as kitchen utensils, chairs, pipes, and more.
The staff claimed self-defense, stating that the tourists had attacked them first and immediately called the police. However, when the law enforcement officers arrived at the bar, the foreign tourists had already fled.
Patong Police are investigating the incident and will review CCTV footage to determine if the staff’s story was correct and to assist in searching for the group of tourists.
