Foreigners Fined for Graffiti on Chiang Mai School

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"Grown adults" are doing it all the time, worldwide

Oh, that's ok then

I didn't say it was okay. Altering my comment by editing it changed the context of my comment which is against the forum rules.

The clipped comment that you mis-quoted was part of reply to another poster who appeared "utterly" shocked that graffiti-type vandalism by adults existed.

The fine was the same as I copped the time the 90-day reporting app was down, and I couldn't make the one-way 130km drive to an IO to report in person.

I should have just vandalised the local school and the Police would have come to me.

7 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

pay compensation. Committing minor crimes in Thailand does not automatically mean deportation.

I don't see damage to property as a minor crime.

They should be deported

.Fine. Just your opinion.

It's a good job that the extreme views of some Asean Now posters are neither seen by Thai authorities nor carry any weight with the Thai judicial system!

4 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I never suggested they go to gaol for this crime.

I am saying they have committed a criminal offense in Thailand, thus should be deported.

If the locals were deported for this type of crime, foreigners would have to take over planting rice. Thousands of crimes happen in Thailand daily, most by locals, and if the enforcement happened like it should, things would change here. Tourists acting like morons happens all over, especially in a country that has a wild reputation and known for that lack of enforcement. Paying a fine teaches some, unless they're spoiled and rich.

Make them remove all graffiti in the area. This is unlikely to be the only vandalism they have done. A week or two of cleaning and painting would soon teach them not to do it again.

Very childish behavior. Send them back and Red card them both

39 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Almost beyond belief? It appears from your comment that you've never come across graffiti before! "Grown adults" are doing it all the time, worldwide (except maybe in Singapore).

Which is why I wrote 'almost'.

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Two foreign tourists have been fined after being caught spray-painting a school fence and public property in Chiang Mai, with police saying the pair also agreed to pay compensation for the damage. The arrests followed a report from a member of the public, who alerted officers after seeing two men using spray paint on the fence of a school in central Chiang Mai during the early hours of July 11.

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Police from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station responded to the report at about 12.40am. Officers found the two men actively spray-painting the school fence and ordered them to stop before taking them into custody.

The suspects were identified as 32-year-old British national Mr Elliot and 27-year-old New Zealand national Mr Keegan. They were charged under Thailand’s Cleanliness and Orderliness Act B.E. 2535 (1992), as amended, which prohibits scratching, writing, spray-painting or otherwise marking walls, roads, trees, buildings adjoining roads and other public property.

Investigators later imposed fines of 3,000 baht on each man through a settlement process. In addition to the fines, both tourists agreed to compensate the affected school for the damage, paying 4,000 baht.

According to Chiang Mai Provincial Police, the pair apologised for their actions, explaining that they had acted out of high spirits and promising not to repeat the behaviour. Police said both men accepted responsibility for the damage and agreed to cover the cost of repairs.

The operation involved officers led by Pol Col Pratchaya Thisala, superintendent of Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station, together with Pol Lt Col Tattavee Danphitaktrakul, deputy superintendent for prevention and suppression, and Pol Lt Col Wisanu Nuanmusid, inspector for prevention and suppression. Patrol officers led by Pol Capt Chatchawan Tanta responded to the public report and made the arrests at the scene.

The case highlights continued enforcement of laws protecting public property and maintaining cleanliness in public areas. Police have encouraged residents and visitors to report similar offences, with the latest arrests resulting directly from information provided by a concerned citizen.

No further charges or legal proceedings have been announced beyond the fines and compensation already imposed. The case has been concluded through the legal settlement process, with both tourists accepting responsibility for their actions.

Pictures courtesy of ตำรวจภูธรจังหวัดเชียงใหม่

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13 July 2026

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I wonder what image Thailand got for tourists coming from Britain? (Other countries apply)

You can do what you want?

Drunk driving

Stealing

Graffiti

Sex in public

Peeing at a temple

Having brawls

Walking naked

Intoxicated

Go for #gofundme

No insurance

This list you are invited to continue.

These 2 guys are not children and I don't know if they are too stupid to know that this offence/graffiti would have been punished in their home countries too.

So sad💔

I remember years ago when I was in primary school some hoodlums vandalized the school one night for fun.

I remember thinking what pathetic losers you must be for attacking an inanimate building where people are educated.

Turns out I was right. 😀

Edited July 13Jul 13 by SiSePuede419
Lifeless braindead losers

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The suspects were identified as 32-year-old British national Mr Elliot and 27-year-old New Zealand national Mr Keegan.

Frik’n two-bit halfwit losers, hope they get the book thrown at them.

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"Grown adults" are doing it all the time, worldwide (except maybe in Singapore).

Perhaps the Thai justice system should consider adjudicating some Singapore justice for these two, publicly of course. It just may fix the problem once and for all.

two weeks in Thai prison and deportation would be a fair punishment.

4 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I didn't say it was okay. Altering my comment by editing it changed the context of my comment which is against the forum rules.

The clipped comment that you mis-quoted was part of reply to another poster who appeared "utterly" shocked that graffiti-type vandalism by adults existed.

In my opinion it is a criminal offense and they should be deported for it.

What's your threshold for deportation?

4 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

If the locals were deported for this type of crime, foreigners would have to take over planting rice.

You can't deport a citizen from their own country.

4 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Thousands of crimes happen in Thailand daily, most by locals, and if the enforcement happened like it should, things would change here.

That's because there's 70 million Thai's in Thailand.

4 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Tourists acting like morons happens all over, especially in a country that has a wild reputation and known for that lack of enforcement.

Acting like a moron is not a criminal offense, damaging property is.

4 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Paying a fine teaches some, unless they're spoiled and rich.

A fine to most foreigners is a pittance.

3 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

You can't deport a citizen from their own country.

That's because there's 70 million Thai's in Thailand.

Acting like a moron is not a criminal offense, damaging property is.

A fine to most foreigners is a pittance.

It was sarcasm. The amount of people doesn't take away that fact. Better enforcement means less crimes and more lives saved. Damaging property is acting like a moron in it's worst way. Fines aren't a pittance in the west. Paying a fine when you're poor changes the dynamics of a household for awhile. When you're well off, it's pocket change.

14 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

It was sarcasm. The amount of people doesn't take away that fact. Better enforcement means less crimes and more lives saved. Damaging property is acting like a moron in it's worst way. Fines aren't a pittance in the west. Paying a fine when you're poor changes the dynamics of a household for awhile. When you're well off, it's pocket change.

It's an interesting topic, and one that presents a range of opinions.

For me, if a foreigner commits any criminal offense in Thailand, they should be prosecuted, fined / sentenced, deported and black listed. Notice I said criminal offense, not driving / riding offense.

What is your threshold for deportation?

Example, shop lifting deported or not?

Assault - deported or not?

What level of damage to someone else's property reaches your threshold of deportation? Eg: kicking in some car panels. Breaking some windows? Trashing a hotel room.

Not paying a F & B bill - deported or not?

Possession of personal use drugs - deported or not?

This was an interesting case in Australia a couple of years ago. This guy had been living in Australia for around 40 years, but never applied for citizenship. He committed a criminal offense/s, did prison time, and was deported back to the UK.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-03/stephen-pokrywka-deported-from-wa-to-uk/104050046

19 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

It's an interesting topic, and one that presents a range of opinions.

For me, if a foreigner commits any criminal offense in Thailand, they should be prosecuted, fined / sentenced, deported and black listed. Notice I said criminal offense, not driving / riding offense.

What is your threshold for deportation?

Example, shop lifting deported or not?

Assault - deported or not?

What level of damage to someone else's property reaches your threshold of deportation? Eg: kicking in some car panels. Breaking some windows? Trashing a hotel room.

Not paying a F & B bill - deported or not?

Possession of personal use drugs - deported or not?

This was an interesting case in Australia a couple of years ago. This guy had been living in Australia for around 40 years, but never applied for citizenship. He committed a criminal offense/s, did prison time, and was deported back to the UK.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-03/stephen-pokrywka-deported-from-wa-to-uk/104050046

Crimes against people, assault or worse. Minor things just like anywhere else. Fine, reimbursement before leaving. Same punishments as for locals.

13 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

I'm in favor of guerilla street art, like Banksey.

But this scribbled crap is just pure gang wannabe vandalism.

Dumb people scribble the same old crap, artists create something new. 😄

Obvious it is a language issue. They are learning Thai and need to practice somewhere.

Fine them and after they pay, expel them. Such types give a bad image of all foreigners in Thailand.

23 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Crimes against people, assault or worse. Minor things just like anywhere else. Fine, reimbursement before leaving. Same punishments as for locals.

So, if I leave my phone on a restaurant table, whilst I go to the toilet, and you steal it, is that not a crime against me? (people)

You are caught by police, charged, and convicted. There is no prison time for this petty theft, but regardless of the penalty, do you believe you should still be allowed to remain living in Thailand?

In my opinion, in the above example, you should be deported and black listed. Why should Thailand allow thieving foreigners to remain living in Thailand?

23 minutes ago, SingAPorn said:

Fine them and after they pay, expel them. Such types give a bad image of all foreigners in Thailand.

I agree, but there seems to be differing opinions and I'm interested in what crimes members think deserve deportation and black listing, and what crimes do not.

For me, any criminal offense and you are deported and black listed. Such a policy may even act as a deterrent.

No, don't just fine them... stick them in a serious Thai jail for 2 weeks to bring the morons back to reality, as that's much more effective.

It boggles the mind that people travel to foreign countries and commit these crimes. They should serve time in jail.

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Why should Thailand accept any criminality from foreigners here?

Would your opinion differ it it was a Buddhist Temple, rather than a school?

Thailand does not "accept criminality from foreigners".

My opinion would remain the same, Buddhist temple or Buddhist school.

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

In my opinion it is a criminal offense and they should be deported for it.

What's your threshold for deportation?

I don't have a "threshold for deportation", I'm a visitor here, same as you, for those who stay out of trouble, it's nothing to do with us.

15 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

27 and 32? Part of the Crips or Bloods perhaps? Seems this happened awhile back also. What sort of mentality does one have to spray paint graffiti in another country?

Not just another country, any graffiti at all.

7 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Almost beyond belief? It appears from your comment that you've never come across graffiti before! "Grown adults" are doing it all the time, worldwide (except maybe in Singapore).

Grown adults who still act like unruly teenagers

What I don't understand, and this includes many other cases like fights, non-payment at restaurants, sexual assault of women, etc., is that the Thai authorities allow it and don't immediately deport these individuals. The Thai authorities, who supposedly want to attract high-class tourists, on the other hand, let these thugs get away with it without any real consequences. Could someone explain this to me?