Foreign Couple Arrested, Deported for Alleged Sex Act on Moving ‘Tuk-Tuk’ in Phuket

Thai authorities have arrested and deported a foreign couple after they were filmed allegedly engaging in a sex act while riding in a moving Tuk-Tuk on the resort island of Phuket, an incident that has sparked outrage and prompted a government crackdown on tourist behavior .The couple, identified as Ruben, a 41 year old Spanish national, and Cynthia, a 43 year old Peruvian national, were taken into custody by police in the Patong area on the evening of May 4, just one day after a 49 second video of the alleged act went viral on social media.

The footage, which was reportedly filmed by a woman on a motorcycle, appears to show the couple inside a brightly lit tuk-tuk. The 49 second clip, posted on a local Facebook group, shows the man with his legs outstretched while the woman is seated on the floor between them, making repeated up and down head movements . An off-camera voice can be heard in Thai saying, “Patong always has this kind of thing. This is the first time encountering something like this by myself. Can you just wait until arriving at a hotel?”.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Suchart Chumphusaeng of the Patong Police Station confirmed that investigators believe the couple had been drinking along the famous Bangla Road nightlife strip before heading towards the Kamala district when the incident occurred inside the vehicle. “We believe that the couple were drunk at the time. But that is still no excuse,” he said.

During preliminary interrogation, both individuals admitted that they were the people shown in the viral video. Investigators subsequently charged them under Thailand’s public indecency laws for “common indecency in a public place by means of nudity or other lewd acts”. Under Thai law, public nudity and sexual acts in public spaces carry a maximum fine of 5,000 baht, approximately 155 US dollars.

Beyond the fine, however, the couple faced much more severe administrative consequences. The Phuket Provincial Immigration Bureau determined that the pair’s behavior “seriously violated Thai customs and etiquette” and damaged the province’s image as a world-class tourist destination. Their visas have been revoked, and they have been deported from Thailand. Authorities are also in the process of adding both individuals to Thailand’s immigration blacklist, which would permanently prohibit them from re-entering the country.

The incident has proven to be the final straw for Thai authorities, who have grown frustrated by a recent wave of similar lewd behavior by foreign tourists. Thailand’s Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul, issued a stern directive on Wednesday, May 6, ordering relevant agencies to “strictly enforce the law without exception” against tourists who behave inappropriately. The Prime Minister’s office issued a formal statement warning that tourists displaying “inappropriate behavior” would face prosecution as it “contradicts the beautiful culture of Thailand” . The government has also ordered stricter supervision of tourists at all major attractions.

The crackdown is a direct response to a series of high profile public sex acts in recent weeks. In April 2026, a French couple was arrested and deported after footage of them having sex on a Phuket beach went viral. Earlier this year, another French couple was blacklisted and had their visas revoked after a video of them having sex in a tuk-tuk, also on Phuket, caused outrage online . Other recent incidents include eight tourists, suspected to be Russian, allegedly engaging in a group sex act in the sea in Pattaya, and a Moroccan man refusing to pay a bar bill before assaulting officers and exposing himself.

Thailand’s tourism industry is vital to its economy, and the government is keen to protect the country’s image. While Thailand has a reputation for nightlife, it remains a largely conservative society where public displays of affection are frowned upon . The government statement clarified that the new clampdown is “intended to safeguard Thailand’s beautiful cultural values”. As Thailand aims to welcome over 33 million visitors this year, officials have made it clear that a line has been drawn, and future misconduct will be met with swift deportation and lifetime bans.