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SCMP’s Asia desk

Thai police arrested seven French tourists after a viral Songkran confrontation in Phuket in which revellers surrounded a van, sprayed its driver with water and later ignored police orders to disperse.
The incident came during Thailand’s annual new year festival, whose street water fights draw huge crowds across the country but have also sparked complaints this year about more aggressive behaviour in some tourist hotspots.
Video shared on social media showed a crowd in Patong, a beach town on the resort island of Phuket, swarming a silver van, opening its doors and spraying water inside before turning their water guns on the driver when he got out.
Police in Phuket told The Nation they received complaints about tourists causing a nuisance and obstructing traffic while playing with water on Prachanukhro Road near Malin Market in Patong.

🇫🇷 🇹🇭 FLASH | Nouvelle vidéo à Patong : des touristes français participent à une gigantesque bataille d’eau lors de la fête de l’eau. Un homme en utilitaire, visiblement en train de travailler, est aspergé malgré ses demandes répétées d’arrêter. La situation dégénère : la police… pic.twitter.com/2In3l7AwTp
— Cpasdeslol (@cpasdeslol_X) April 14, 2026

Officers said they ordered the group to leave the area, but the French tourists refused to comply and were arrested, taken to a police station, fined and warned.
The 52-year-old van driver, identified only as Sathit, told The Phuket Express he had just dropped off passengers at about 4pm when his path was blocked by revellers.
“I honked to ask for a way through, but they became upset, shouting, banging on the windows, opening the door, and spraying water directly at me,” he said.
The water hit his face and eyes, he said. The interior of his van was also soaked, damaging its sound system.
“I admit I lost my temper. I even picked up my shoe to defend myself. But I thought, if I didn’t control my anger, I might end up behind bars.”
Sathit later filed a formal complaint with the police. “This kind of behaviour is reckless and dangerous. Songkran should be fun, but not like this,” he said.
After the incident, police stepped up patrols and urged businesses and residents to stop putting water barrels outside for people to refill their water guns.
Songkran, held from Monday to Wednesday this year, marks the Thai New Year and is celebrated with water fights rooted in traditions of ritual cleansing and renewal.
While most of the splashing is lighthearted, authorities have also faced reports of unruly behaviour elsewhere during this year’s festival.
Two foreign men caused chaos on Pattaya’s famous Walking Street on Sunday when they doused passers-by with foam from a fire extinguisher instead of water.
The act was captured on camera and posted on social media, accompanied by the comment: “Terrible behaviour. I don’t know where they got the fire extinguisher, but they sprayed it around and caused trouble everywhere.”
A security guard persuaded the men to hand over the fire extinguisher and they ran off before police arrived, according to the Bangkok Post.
Khaosod also reported that a foreign tourist was beaten and kicked by motorcycle taxi drivers on Pattaya Beach on Monday after he sprayed water on passing motorists.

According to that report, people who splash water on unwilling participants can face fines under Thai law, with penalties reaching 60,000 baht (US$1,900) in some cases.
A total of 619,481 foreign tourists visited Thailand during the week of April 6 to 12, an almost 9 per cent increase from the previous week, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports said, as quoted by Khaosod.
More than 3.14 million people joined celebrations from Friday to Tuesday in Bangkok alone, according to The Nation.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand told the Bangkok Post on Wednesday it estimated that the sector would generate more than 30.35 billion baht in revenue during the Songkran holiday, up 6 per cent from last year.


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7 French tourists arrested after viral Songkran spray clash with van driver in Phuket

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Police said the group of revellers blocked traffic, sprayed water at the driver and ignored orders to disperse


Police said the group of revellers blocked traffic, sprayed water at the driver and ignored orders to disperse.


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Tourism

Tourism Authority of Thailand

7 French tourists arrested after viral Songkran spray clash with van driver in Phuket

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Police said the group of revellers blocked traffic, sprayed water at the driver and ignored orders to disperse

Police said the group of revellers blocked traffic, sprayed water at the driver and ignored orders to disperse