Taking the piss: Tourist pees at Phuket Airport
A video showing a foreign tourist urinating openly at Phuket International Airport, in Mai Khao subdistrict, Thalang district, sparked outrage both online and offline, with many demanding decisive action. The 13-second clip, shared yesterday, January 30, shows the tourist urinating without concern for onlookers, despite being warned by airport staff.
The video was circulated widely on social media, particularly on the Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต. It was accompanied by a caption criticising the tourist’s disregard for public decency. The incident has led to varied reactions from netizens, with some questioning why the tourist was not immediately apprehended.
“If it was a Thai person, they’d have been caught immediately.”
“It’s as if tourists believe they can do anything in Thailand; the laws apply only to locals.”
Others expressed concern over the country’s image, suggesting that such behaviour could tarnish Thailand’s reputation as a tourist destination.
“This behaviour is embarrassing, and the authorities must take action.”
“Such actions should be met with penalties to deter future incidents.”
According to Ekanaruen Samanrak, Director of Security at Phuket Airport, the man was a passenger on an IndiGo Air flight but was kicked off due to his level of intoxication.
Security guards escorted the man, believed to be from Saudi Arabia, out of the passenger lounge, but as he walked away, he suddenly urinated in the middle of the airport, unnoticed by security at the time.
Following the incident, airport officials detained him and coordinated with the Tourist Assistance Centre and local police. He was taken to a security holding area and told to rest until sober, after which he would be fined.
However, upon waking, the tourist claimed he had no money. Officials provided him with food and water to help him recover before eventually releasing him. It remains unclear where he went afterwards or if he returned to his home country.
The situation has prompted widespread calls for government action. Residents are urging police to enforce stricter measures against such behaviour to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The incident continues to ignite discussions about the balance between welcoming tourists and maintaining public order and respect for local customs, reported KhaoSod.
In a similar incident, in May last year, a foreign couple allowed their child to pee at Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Grand Palace.
Then-Tourism and Sports Minister Sermsak Phongpanich condemned the act, stating that it was very inappropriate due to the temple’s sanctity and saw that this might slightly affect the image of Thai tourism. However, some Thais thought that this was too harsh as the child was too young to understand the consequences.
In another incident, a Thai woman urinated on a ride-hailing motorcycle in Bangkok and refused to pay the fare.
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