Phuket is a tourist destination hotspot well known for its sun, sand and clear waters, the largest island in Thailand that we Singaporeans are pretty familiar with. Phuket economy relies a great part on tourism, and despite the Tsunami incident back in 2004, the beautiful island continues to attract divers and beach dwellers all over the world today.
[[perfectpullquote]]rampant crimes in the island such as illegal taxis, drug problems, extortion and thuggery[/[perfectpullquote]]Yet because of the thriving tourism, Phuket has also become become a hotspot for criminal activities. A quick search on Google on “Phuket crime” returns results that will somewhat put you off your vacation plans there. While you might have a better experience and did not encounter anything unpleasant, we are only reminding everyone to be cautious and well-informed to the rampant crimes in the island such as illegal taxis, drug problems, extortion and thuggery.
The video though dated back in 2010 documents how tourists fall into the criminal trap. More disturbingly, watching on shows the most unlikely party involved in the scam is in fact the local police. Ironically the police in Phuket has promised tougher action to be taken this year to ensure safety and security for tourists.
We applaud the video owner Thailand Undercover to capture such atrocities and put them online so that we can all avoid getting ourselves into situations like this. Have you ever had a similar experience when you travel to Phuket? Do share with us and our readers on your encounters and tips on what to look out for.
