French couple deported and blacklisted after sex on Phuket tuk tuk
A French couple are facing deportation and blacklisting from Thailand after being arrested for engaging in a sexual act while travelling on a tuk tuk in Phuket last month.
The case came to light after a Thai motorist, who was driving behind a tuk tuk on Patong Hill in Phuket on January 29, noticed the inappropriate behaviour of a foreign couple onboard the vehicle. The motorist recorded a video showing the couple undressing and engaging in sexual activity before sharing the footage online.
The video quickly went viral, drawing strong criticism from Thai netizens. Many condemned the couple for disrespectful behaviour that violated public decency and Thai cultural norms. Others expressed concern that repeated incidents of this nature could damage Phuket’s image as a family-friendly tourist destination.
Amid growing online pressure, officers from Kathu Police Station launched an investigation to identify the foreigners involved. Police were eventually able to track the couple down and arrested them at a hotel in the Thalang district of Phuket yesterday, February 2.
The suspects were identified as two French nationals, Wesley and Valen. Police charged them under Section 388 of the Criminal Law: committing a shameful act in a public place by exposing the body or engaging in other obscene behaviour. The offence carries a maximum penalty of a fine not exceeding 5,000 baht.
Following the arrest, police coordinated with the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office to take further action. Immigration officials revoked the couple’s visas and added their names to Thailand’s immigration blacklist. Authorities confirmed that the pair would be deported after paying the fine.
The case renewed public debate about the handling of similar incidents involving foreign tourists. In recent years, several foreign couples have been caught engaging in sexual acts in public places or on public transport vehicles.
In many of those cases, the foreigners involved reportedly managed to leave Thailand without facing legal consequences.
One notable exception occurred in December last year, when a Russian couple were arrested after being caught engaging in a sexual act on camping chairs at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya.
They were charged with the same offence under Section 388. However, in that case, there were no reports of visa revocation, deportation, or blacklisting.
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