Foreign man caught on CCTV stealing Thai flag in Phuket (video)

A CCTV camera caught a foreign man stealing a Thai flag from outside an office in Phuket. Thai netizens urged the police to take the case seriously as the Thai flag is highly respected by locals.

The Jootee Tin Dredging Company shared CCTV footage of the theft to the Facebook page, Phuket Hotnews, today, March 5. The video shows a foreign man pulling the Thai flag from its pole outside the Jutee Tin Dredging office and walking away with it in the Phang Nga Road in the Mueang district of Phuket.

Three other foreign men were seen walking on the road in the video but it’s not clear whether they were friends with the foreign thief.

The company told Phuket News that the foreign man’s act was unacceptable because Thai people consider the Thai flag to be very valuable and highly respected. The company wants the police to prosecute the man, regardless of whether the foreigner committed the crime out of drunkenness or impetuosity.

Thai netizens expressed their anger in the comment section.

“Too many cheap foreigners in Thailand.”

“Thieving behaviour. You can actually buy it yourself at any souvenir shop!”

“It’s time to get rid of these kinds of foreigners!”

“Deport him!”

“Gather more evidence from CCTV cameras and file a complaint with the police. Let’s make this another example case for foreigners in Thailand!”

The company did not reveal whether the theft was reported to the police or not while the media have not yet provided an update on the case.

A similar Thai flag theft was reported in 2017 in the southern province of Krabi. In this case, two Italian men, aged 18 and 20, pulled down four Thai flags from the poles for fun and left them on the ground.

The two foreigners were later arrested and charged under Section 118 of the Criminal Law: committing disrespectful acts against the Thai flag or other national symbols. The charge carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.