A Russian man allegedly attacked a Thai couple for honking at him at a zebra crossing in Thailand.

The tourist reportedly walked over the white lines despite the traffic light being red at the Yi Teng intersection on Phuket island, on February 1.

Motorcycle rider Junior, 23, honked to warn the backpacker that he was approaching, but the noise was said to have angered the man, who then allegedly struck his arm and shoulder.

Footage shows Junior and his girlfriend Pimpaphan Kueakool, 21, following the tourist to demand an apology from him, with both parties recording the row on their phones.

The Thai couple later filed a report with the police, but claimed the law enforcers were of no help.

A furious Pimpaphan said: 'The police made an appointment to look at the security cameras, but they found that the camera was broken. I was very confused. In the end, they said we should forward the case to the Immigration Bureau but warned that the government system would be a bit slow.

'To be honest, at first I didn't care. I thought the tourist might have been shocked by the honking. But when we drove after him, he cursed at us in Russian and used vulgar words.

'He also recorded a clip of us. I called the police at the scene to come, but they didn't come. They told us to go to the police station, even though at that time we were busy following the Russian.

'I want our case to be an example that shows that no matter how serious or minor, foreigners have no right to hurt Thai people. Don't wait until someone gets hurt. I want the authorities to enforce stricter laws.'


The once-pristine island of Phuket has been marred by overtourism as the Thai government implemented a visa-free scheme to boost revenue.

But the policy has infuriated locals claiming it has attracted crowds of 'low-quality' visitors to Thailand. They claim it has become an enclave of criminal activity that has become a popular destination for tourists fleeing from the Russia-Ukraine war.