Russian graffiti vandals busted in Patong

The two Russian men on a graffiti rampage after a booze-fuelled escapade in Patong, Phuket, have been arrested.

Police Major General Saranyu Chamnarnrat, Deputy Chief of the Provincial Police Region 8, revealed the arrest of the Russian vandals today.

Identified as 23 year old Evgenii Egorov and 22 year old Oleg Shirshov, the spray-painting mischievous pair were nabbed from a dormitory on Thaweewong Road in the Patong subdistrict of Kathu district at around 4pm yesterday.

Their reckless spree involved defacing a footpath with the cryptic letters HRDSHT, already marked with a no-parking sign, leaving authorities puzzled. But their graffiti frenzy didn’t end there, they allegedly struck again, targeting a restaurant sign near the Government Savings Bank’s Patong branch on Phra Baramee Road.

A damning video of their nocturnal antics went viral, triggering a wave of social media outrage. The duo, captured on a motorcycle, seemed oblivious to the storm their actions would brew.

However, their trail of spray paint led police straight to their doorstep, where they were promptly apprehended. Under interrogation, the inebriated culprits confessed to their deeds, attributing their folly to alcohol-induced impulsivity.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Saranyu revealed that Egorov was behind the wheel of the rented motorcycle, with Shirshov riding pillion. While Egorov took sole responsibility for the graffiti spree, Shirshov was present but claimed innocence, reported Bangkok Post.

Facing charges of vandalism collusion, the pair were swiftly handed over to Patong Police Station for due legal process. They are scheduled to attend the Phuket Provincial Court this afternoon.

In related news, the violent Russian woman who blamed her period for assaulting a pregnant Thai woman in Koh Pha Ngan has been fined 500 baht and handed a suspended 15-day jail sentence.

Immigration authorities in Surat Thani are deliberating whether to revoke her visa due to the criminal offence. The Russian woman confessed to kicking the shop owner, who is eight months pregnant, out of frustration after being asked to remove her shoes before entering a coffee shop.