Phuket recently witnessed quite the commotion thanks to a tourist who played a prank on the local police. The initial report suggested they were detained and claimed to be extorted by their parents, but it turned out to be a complete hoax.
According to a piece from Bangkok Post on Sunday (17/12), the whole episode unfolded when Phuket police received a call from a frantic Finnish couple – parents who believed they were losing their child.
The concerned parents reported that their child was being held at the Phuket police station. In a strange turn of events, the tourist had asked for money from their parents, citing it as a bribe supposedly demanded by the Phuket police. Adding to the worry, their child was now out of contact.
As the story unraveled, Phuket police swiftly launched a search for the tourist. In no time, they located the tourist in the south of Phuket, safe and sound.
The tourist, accompanied by a friend, was then asked to visit the Patong police station to provide a statement. To everyone’s surprise, it turned out that the whole story of being detained by the police was just an elaborate prank. The tourist had convinced their friend to pose as a police officer and demand a ransom of €7,000 or around IDR 119 million.
This ill-conceived prank didn’t just end in laughter. The two tourists are now facing penalties for overstaying, adding a real twist to their vacation plans. The police ensured to inform the parents of the tourist, shedding light on the true events behind this unusual incident.