Lost in Phuket: Stranded British man seeks help as wife takes passport and sails away

The stranded UK national at the Phuket Bus Terminal. Photo taken from The Phuket News.

A stranded British man, faced with the loss of his passport and funds after a family disagreement, found himself stranded in Phuket. Assistance from the Tourist Police was sought after his wife, following the dispute, left with his travel documents and a portion of their belongings.

The public became aware of the British man’s plight through a report by the Phuket Tourist Police, which was presented amongst other incidents of officers aiding foreign tourists in distressing circumstances.

While the identity of the man was kept confidential by the Tourist Police Bureau, the supposed occurrence of the event was traced back to either yesterday or within the week, with a photo of an official in a Vegetarian Festival t-shirt serving as a time marker.

The Phuket Tourist Police revealed the man’s domestic dispute.

“A tourist from the United Kingdom approached Tourist Police seeking assistance regarding an argument with his wife. The woman left the hotel with her spouse’s passport, so he requested help in tracking her down and retrieving his passport and money. ”

The unnamed tourist further explained that he had prepaid his return tickets but was unable to board the flight without his passport, and lacked funds for even basic necessities.

As a response, the Phuket Tourist Police provided the British man with temporary accommodation and arranged for him to travel to Bangkok. They coordinated with Phuket Bus Terminal to secure a seat on a bus heading to the capital city, enabling him to reach the British Embassy and arrange his return journey.

However, the police did not disclose whether they decided to assist in locating the man’s wife, as he initially requested.

A photo released by the Phuket Tourist Police shows the man sitting at Phuket Bus Terminal 2, the typical departure point for buses headed to Bangkok.

In circumstances such as these, the British Embassy in Bangkok is equipped to issue an emergency travel document that allows a British citizen to return to the UK when their passport is unusable.

This document is usually valid for a single journey or a return trip. However, the application fee is 100 pounds, and a credit or debit card is required for payment.

Follow more of Thaiger’s latest stories on our new Facebook page HERE.

Phuket NewsTourism News

Mitch Connor

Mitch is a Bangkok resident, having relocated from Southern California, via Florida in 2022. He studied journalism before dropping out of college to teach English in South America. After returning to the US, he spent 4 years working for various online publishers before moving to Thailand.

Related Articles