Picture courtesy of Facebook/ เอด เวิร์ด.ฯ

 

A tattoo artist in Patong, Phuket, has accused an Australian man of failing to pay a 15,000-baht balance for a completed tattoo session, prompting warnings to other local businesses. The alleged incident took place on 18 November at the Dragon Ink Patong Phuket studio, where the customer reportedly left to withdraw money but did not return. The artist later learned that the man had already travelled to Phuket Airport and flown back to Australia the same day.

 

The tattoo artist said the Australian had requested a cover-up of parts of an old tattoo on his right shoulder and arm. The service was priced at 25,000 baht, and the customer paid the required 10,000-baht deposit in advance. According to the artist, the work was completed before the man claimed he lacked sufficient cash and needed to visit a nearby ATM.

 

After the man failed to return, the artist posted photos across several Facebook groups warning other operators in the area. In the post, he wrote: “Watch out for this foreign man. He received a tattoo service from my studio, but did not complete the payment. I am concerned that he may repeat this elsewhere. #Australian.” More details were later provided in the comment section, including confirmation of the deposit and the customer’s final departure.

 

The case triggered strong reactions among Thai social media users, many criticising the man’s behaviour and urging the artist to take formal action. Some commenters suggested that business owners in Phuket should exercise greater caution, citing frequent issues involving tourists who refuse to pay for services. A Thai woman added that full payment should have been collected upfront, noting that some foreigners have even skipped payments as low as 300 to 400 baht for massages.

 

Local sentiment indicates concerns about rising incidents of foreign visitors engaging in similar conduct. Business operators fear the reputational and financial impact of such behaviour, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Patong. The circulation of the man’s photos online reflects both frustration and attempts at community-level prevention.

 

The tattoo artist said he plans to file a complaint at a police station, despite the man having already left Thailand. Authorities are expected to review the evidence, including photos and social media posts, to decide whether further action can be taken. For now, local operators remain on alert for potential copy cat offenders.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• A Phuket tattoo artist says an Australian client failed to pay a 15,000-baht balance after a completed tattoo on 18 November.

• The customer allegedly left the studio to withdraw money but instead travelled to the airport and returned to Australia the same day.

• Strong online reactions urged the artist to take legal action and highlighted growing concerns over similar incidents involving tourists.

 

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 Adapted  by  Asean  Now from TheThaiger 2025-11-20

 

 

Well, he is certain to return for another holiday but, with facial recognition in place he is also certain to be caught, seeing the place of business reported this to the police/immigration.  I can see his face when returning “Welcome to Thailand, you now owe 300,000 baht for unpaid bill.

Perhaps the customer was upset that the tatooist inked his left shoulder instead of his right.

Should be allowed to tattoo the word criminal on the guys forehead as compensation .

He should think himself lucky he found a mug to pay anything for putting that bloody mess on him , let alone 10.000 bht 😂

Trust nobody!

1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Perhaps the customer was upset that the tatooist inked his left shoulder instead of his right.

Looks like he definitely got under his skin .

...25,000 Baht...(?)

...Around $1,000 AUD...(?)

...For A 'Coverup Job"...(?)

 

...But If He Did Agree Beforehand...Without Misunderstanding...Then He Is A Tw*t...(?)

The tattooist may get revenge. The tattoos could become infected, does happen. I know of a lady that had  her nails manicured, painted , cut etc and she got a terrible infection.  Most nail technicians don’t sterilise their equipment

11 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The artist later learned that the man had already travelled to Phuket Airport and flown back to Australia the same day.

Money up front.... 

high quality farangs

its dirt cheap here, dont taint rest of us who live here on retirement benefits

of course the guy was not to be trusted, he had tattoos for gods sake, surely the "artists" who supply them realise this