PHUKET, THAILAND – Two suspected foreign tourists stole a young Thai man’s cherished guitar from his parked motorcycle in Karon in the middle of the night and vanished into the darkness.
Thieves caught on camera
Security cameras on Thai Na Road recorded the entire incident. At about half past two in the morning, two men were seen walking casually along the pavement in the Karon area until they noticed a parked motorcycle.
One of the men then climbed onto a motorcycle while his companion grabbed the guitar that did not belong to them. According to the footage, he even started playing the instrument in the middle of the street before both men fled with the stolen guitar.
Only five minutes away
The victim was identified as Kasidit, a 19-year-old Thai national. He had just finished work and stopped briefly to meet a friend, leaving his motorcycle and guitar unattended for a short moment.
When he returned about five minutes later, the instrument was gone. The young man immediately filed a report with police in Karon, but officers had so far been unable to identify the suspected holidaymakers.
Anger at criminal tourists
The case sparked strong reactions online, with many Thai users expressing fury over the theft. Large numbers of locals demanded tougher penalties for foreign offenders, saying they felt such incidents on the tourist island of Phuket were becoming more frequent.
Some voices also called for stricter entry rules to Thailand. They argued that tourists entering without a visa should be allowed to stay for a shorter period and that anyone causing trouble should simply not be allowed into the country.
String of brazen thefts
Residents pointed out that this was not an isolated case in the region. Just last month, two foreigners reportedly stole two bottles of liquor from a bar on Koh Phi Phi, later claiming that someone had allegedly told them everything was free.
Another incident was reported on Koh Lanta, where two men filled up their motorcycle with fuel and then sped off without paying. Locals there also urged the authorities to finally take firm action against such repeated offences.