Patong protest urges foreigners to respect Thai law and culture

The Protect Phuket Land group held a rally and discussion forum at Loma Park in Patong, Phuket, calling on foreigners to respect Thai law, culture, traditions and the local way of life.

Local residents, business operators and others who said they had been affected by tourism-related problems took part in the event, which began at 2pm. Promotional material circulated before the gathering said about 500 people were expected to attend.

Organisers said the protest focused on concerns about the behaviour of some foreign tourists and the impact of some foreign business interests on local communities. They said the campaign was not intended to generalise about all foreigners, but addressed cases involving individuals or businesses they believe had failed to respect Thai law or had affected local residents.

The group called for laws to be enforced fairly and more strictly. The protest follows growing public discussion in Phuket about the behaviour of some foreign visitors and residents, as well as concerns about foreign involvement in local businesses.