Foreign man filmed taking spirit house offerings in Phuket’s Karon area

CCTV footage shared online shows a foreign man taking food and drink offerings from a spirit house outside a home in Phuket’s Kata area, in Karon subdistrict.

Facebook user Bank Marlboro posted the footage on August 5, saying the incident happened outside a friend’s home. The video appears to show the man checking the street before removing a small plastic tray containing food and what appeared to be a bottled drink.

He then approached a second spirit house nearby but left after finding no offerings. The man was wearing a purple-and-orange long-sleeved shirt, dark blue shorts, glasses and trainers, and was carrying two plastic bags.

The footage prompted mixed reactions online. Some users described the act as theft regardless of the value of the items, while others suggested that giving food to someone in need could be considered an act of merit. Others responded with jokes that the spirits would follow the man home to reclaim the offerings.