Three foreign nationals were arrested on October 1 after allegedly setting a fire on a public road and holding a party in the Bang Thao area of Thalang district, Phuket. The incident was filmed and shared on social media, prompting criticism over the potential danger to motorists, pedestrians and nearby properties.
The Phuket Times Facebook page shared a video on September 27 showing a group of three to four foreigners gathered around a fire burning on a road surface. A woman wearing a revealing dress was seen dancing in front of the flames, while other members of the group stood behind the fire.
The gathering reportedly took place on a public road in Bang Thao. According to a report by MGR Online, one of the foreigners recorded the incident and uploaded the footage to social media, where it attracted criticism, particularly from Phuket residents.
Concerns focused on the risk posed by the fire, including potential damage to vehicles, injuries to pedestrians and the possibility of flames spreading to nearby properties.
Some social media users who said they had watched the full video claimed that members of the group also consumed alcohol and used cannabis during the incident. These claims have not been independently confirmed.
Officers from Choeng Talay Police Station investigated the footage and identified three foreign nationals allegedly involved in the incident. They were arrested on October 1, although their identities and nationalities were not disclosed publicly.
According to Phuket Times, the three foreigners were charged with causing a public nuisance. The report said each person was fined before being released. It remains unclear whether the group will be permitted to continue staying in Thailand.
In a similar case in February last year, seven foreigners were arrested in the Pai area of Mae Hong Son province for allegedly causing a public nuisance by smoking cannabis in public.
In another incident in Phuket in June this year, a foreign man was arrested following a disturbance involving an alleged attempted theft.
The story 3 foreigners held over public nuisance after party and fire on Phuket road as seen on Thaiger News.
