Phuket warning: foreign man raids hotel desk at night

2026-03-17 - 03:43

PHUKET — 17 March 2026, A hotel in Phuket has issued a safety warning after a foreign man was caught on CCTV entering a reception area in the early hours and taking items from a drawer. Footage shared online shows the incident occurred at 03:07. The man walked into the hotel lobby and went behind the reception counter before opening a drawer and removing documents and some property. A female staff member later approached the desk and confronted the man, prompting him to leave the area immediately. The page said the suspect appeared to take money from the counter, but the situation was interrupted when an employee, reportedly a Myanmar national, arrived at the scene. The clip has since drawn widespread attention online, with many users voicing concerns over hotel security. Comments highlighted the risks of leaving reception areas unattended at night, insufficient security measures, and the safety of staff, particularly women working alone on night shifts. Some called on hotel operators to strengthen security protocols and urged the victim to file a police report to pursue legal action.