Pictures courtesy of Khaosod

 

Police are investigating a violent robbery in Phuket after dashcam footage showed two foreign suspects ramming a motorcycle and robbing an American national at knifepoint. The incident, which took place in daylight during a rainstorm, has raised safety concerns among residents and visitors. Investigators confirmed that the victim, an American man in his 40s, was targeted for his luxury Philippe Patek Pink Gold watch, reported at worth over 2 million baht.

 

The robbery occurred at 16:20 on 18 September 2025 on Layan Soi 7 in Cherng Talay subdistrict, Thalang district. Dashcam footage released by Phuket Times captured the Ford Everest car striking the rear of the victim’s motorcycle, sending him crashing onto the wet road surface. Two masked men then exited the vehicle, threatened him with a knife, and stole his watch before fleeing.

 

Cherng Talay Police Station identified the victim as an American who was returning from Boat Avenue shopping centre at the time of the attack. Witnesses and the victim reported that the assailants concealed their faces and spoke fluent English, suggesting they were foreign nationals. Officers confirmed the stolen item was a high-value watch, which is considered a collector’s item and estimated at more than 2.3 million baht..

 

The video of the attack has gone viral online, sparking widespread criticism of rising crime involving foreigners in Phuket. Netizens expressed concern that such incidents undermine the island’s reputation as a safe destination for international visitors. Authorities stressed that the case is a priority, as the suspects’ behaviour appeared almost certainly premeditated and deliberately targeted.

 

Police have conducted a full examination of the crime scene and are reviewing security camera footage to track the suspects’ movements, with the vehicle’s registration number is clearly visible in the dash-cam footage. A manhunt is underway to identify and apprehend the two men involved. Officials have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any information that could assist the investigation.

 

Later on the evening of September 18, police from Sakhu and Thalang stations discovered the blue Ford Everest used by the two foreign suspects abandoned in a rubber plantation.  Forensic officers recovered fingerprints from the vehicle, while CCTV footage revealed a white car picked up both foreign suspects after they ditched the Ford.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• An American national in his 40s was robbed at knifepoint in Phuket on 18 September 2025.

• Two masked foreign suspects rammed his motorcycle and stole a watch.

• Police are reviewing CCTV and leading a manhunt to arrest the perpetrators.

 

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-09-19

 

 

 

 

Video courtesy of Phuket Times

 

Watch for sale, 800,000 baht  engraved with letters b.o.b.

The netizens.....pfft

Tough lesson to learn the hard way. DON'T flaunt that kind of bling here.

"and spoke fluent English, suggesting they were foreign nationals."

And no accent perceived or mentioned, to point out nationality.

 

Suggesting they were foreign nationals.... but typically creating a 'mental image' of the type of foreign national...

 

Hope they find these guys, so that any 'mental image' can be dissipated, and replaced with an 'actual image'.

obvious , at least to me, that they had to have known him or at the least seen him at some time close up, to have known he had the watch
This is not some random attack

It could also be a copywatch from Mr Wong and then again it could also be an insurance scam

45 minutes ago, Andre0720 said:

.

 

Suggesting they were foreign nationals.... but typically creating a 'mental image' of the type of foreign national...

 

Ho

Which is the most dominant foreign National in or on Phuket at the moment?

Safer to walk on the beach at 2am with a 10 baht gold chain for a chat with a ladyboy

4 minutes ago, wombat said:

It could also be a copywatch from Mr Wong and then again it could also be an insurance scam

Shame on you for such thoughts

No one visiting here would ever think to submit an insurance claim that was not genuine 

4 minutes ago, D M G said:

Safer to walk on the beach at 2am with a 10 baht gold chain for a chat with a ladyboy

Absolutely no question about that at all

Actually no comment necessary. 

This incident could happen everywhere.

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Police are investigating a violent robbery in Phuket after dashcam footage showed two foreign suspects ramming a motorcycle and robbing an American national at knifepoint. The incident, which took place in daylight during a rainstorm, has raised safety concerns among residents and visitors. Investigators confirmed that the victim, an American man in his 40s, was targeted for his luxury Philippe Patek Pink Gold watch, reported at worth over 2 million baht.

Either he was known to the perps or he exposed the watch a little too much.

While I don't condemn the man for wearing the watch, where & when to wear it is down to personal choice.

Like wearing a gold necklace or bracelet, advertising wealth doesn't always work out too well.

 

Going to go for Brits for this followed by French and third choice Russians .

This is usually a favourite crime of Brits , but in Thailand why would you bother as there are so many people wearing fakes .

Unless of course they knew him and had met him a few times so sussed out it was real . Pretty sure will be caught soon trying to flog it .

A beach road dealer sold me a real Phillipe Patek for 2.5 million Indian rupees!

And those Darwin award recipients didn't account for the possibly that the watch might be a copy.

or that they're so good in telling a copy from the real McCoy. 

26 minutes ago, wombat said:

Which is the most dominant foreign National in or on Phuket at the moment?

 

Probably Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Chinese, Korean?

17 minutes ago, ronster said:

Going to go for Brits for this followed by French and third choice Russians .

 

Yes, definitely those Brits

Alot of insecure people will do anything to impress. But, wearing a watch like that in a nation where it represents 10x the average annual salary is just dumb. Bad instincts. Poor survival skills. Dumb and dumber. 

Question is how did they know this guy had such watch and was worth robbing; not every such robbery gets such a prize.  (providing the watch is the genuine article).

 

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Tough lesson to learn the hard way. DON'T flaunt that kind of bling here.

You probably wasn't blunting the watch he was probably flaunting the chicken breast that he had just bought in the other hand.

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Tough lesson to learn the hard way. DON'T flaunt that kind of bling here.

Name me a country where you can still wear it safely.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Phuket Times captured the Ford Everest car striking the rear of the victim’s motorcycle, sending him crashing onto the wet road surface.

Unless my eyesight has gone mad, Going by the vid, it looked like the white car stuck the bike first, then the Everest stopped and they rob him. 

 

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

while CCTV footage revealed a white car picked up both foreign suspects after they ditched the Ford.

That is the car that struck him, first, they were working together IMO.

35 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Question is how did they know this guy had such watch and was worth robbing; not every such robbery gets such a prize.  (providing the watch is the genuine article).

 

Without the certificate of authenticity and original box, it is worth less.
But easy to sell on Chrono24.

16 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

was targeted for his luxury Philippe Patek Pink Gold watch, reported at worth over 2 million baht.

 

That's crazy to wear a tiny item on your person worth 2 million baht.

 

Small items are easiest to steal. 

 

Absolutely stupid. You can get yourself killed like that. 

 

Perhaps the victim should have bought a fake watch and a car. Less chance of being robbed and no need to ride a motorcycle in the pouring rain.

Maybe he can use the insurance money for that

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Actually no comment necessary. 

This incident could happen everywhere.

but you did comment 😂 

2 minutes ago, flyingfox1 said:

but you did comment 😂 

Yeah, I forgot your's 

probably his drinking buddies.

which means he can identify them and they better be in cambodia 

11 hours ago, brian69 said:

That is the car that struck him, first, they were working together IMO.

 

Yeah, looks like a planned tag team.

The white car was meant to knock him down to set him up for the guys in the other vehicle.

That means at least 4 guys involved. 

Fairly well planned, actually. No way he could get away from that.