Phuket Calls for Stricter Measures on Foreigners’ Aggresive Songkran Behavior

On 4/16/2026 at 11:44 AM, richard_smith237 said:

Thailand can’t have it both ways. It actively invites mass tourism - and a huge slice of its GDP depends on it - then turns around and complains when the less desirable side of that tourism shows up.

Nonsense.

It's not an either or situation. You can have tourism and the GDP it brings, but also have responsible controlled tourism, that 1) doesn't effect the local population too much, 2) keeps crime and anti social behaviour down.

Go see Dubai for one. A country that is massively reliant on tourism and foreigners. Yet it's kept law and order under check, through a combination of strict policing and laws (meaning even the worst of the worst will think twice before throwing that punch).

This in turn promotes a healthy tourism sector, and encourages others to visit.

Soft policing (for fear of garnering bad headlines), soft fines are not helping.

The country must get a grip on the drugs around. Whilst marijuana in isolation may be classed as a soft drug, it does attract a rather undesirable type of visitor. I've seen with my own eyes friends smoking it constantly around Thailand, and when they take a day off the behaviour goes into massive aggression, the mental drawbacks are underplayed.

But the worst decision is the raft of new visas that have very little checks and balances - not even a criminal record check. Go try and get some long term residency in any European or American country and your criminal record is taken into account.

How can a country not ask someone who is going to reside in their country if they have any criminal convicitions?

The horrible behaviour I am seeing I ask myself would these lowlifes behave like this in Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia or even China?

No respect for local culture at all. Needs to be stricter laws, and deportations.

They should also be using AI photo recognition to identify these people.

It does not help when you read “500 baht fine”

I know after this Songkran many Thais have had enough. That resentment is brewing now

19 hours ago, Bally Jaggers said:

The horrible behaviour I am seeing I ask myself would these lowlifes behave like this in Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia or even China?

No respect for local culture at all. Needs to be stricter laws, and deportations.

They should also be using AI photo recognition to identify these people.

It does not help when you read “500 baht fine”

I know after this Songkran many Thais have had enough. That resentment is brewing now

I have seen plenty of Benidorm Brits in Dubai from the council estates up north. However, they all behave in Dubai.

The consequences are too strong to do anything bad there.

But Thailand feels lawless at times, and people are getting that feeling too. The only ones handing out any form of the law is private security guards, whose beatings are becoming too much. But you have to ask yourself why is no law enforcement around ?

Who took the death penalty to drugs poster down at the airport, and why ?

21 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Nonsense.

It's not an either or situation. You can have tourism and the GDP it brings, but also have responsible controlled tourism, that 1) doesn't effect the local population too much, 2) keeps crime and anti social behaviour down.

Go see Dubai for one. A country that is massively reliant on tourism and foreigners. Yet it's kept law and order under check, through a combination of strict policing and laws (meaning even the worst of the worst will think twice before throwing that punch).

This in turn promotes a healthy tourism sector, and encourages others to visit.

Soft policing (for fear of garnering bad headlines), soft fines are not helping.

The country must get a grip on the drugs around. Whilst marijuana in isolation may be classed as a soft drug, it does attract a rather undesirable type of visitor. I've seen with my own eyes friends smoking it constantly around Thailand, and when they take a day off the behaviour goes into massive aggression, the mental drawbacks are underplayed.

But the worst decision is the raft of new visas that have very little checks and balances - not even a criminal record check. Go try and get some long term residency in any European or American country and your criminal record is taken into account.

How can a country not ask someone who is going to reside in their country if they have any criminal convicitions?

Valid points which I agree with - Instead of 'complaining' Thailand should be more effectively policing - that was my point.

On 4/16/2026 at 11:44 AM, richard_smith237 said:

That gap is exactly why situations like this escalate. People assume there are no real consequences - until suddenly there are.

So yes - tourists also need to take responsibility - Songkran isn’t a free pass to behave like idiots. But the bigger issue is inconsistent policing - that’s the root cause of situations like this.