Phuket residents call for probe after foreign woman posts images in police-style outfit

Residents in Phuket are calling for an investigation after images and videos circulated online showing a foreign woman wearing clothing resembling a Thai police uniform.

The Phuket Times Facebook page posted images of the woman on May 21. In the photos, she appeared wearing a black vest featuring a Thai flag and a Royal Thai Police patch. She was also seen wearing a hat labelled “Police” and carrying a card holder displaying the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau logo.

According to the report, the vest shown in the photos is commonly worn by Thai police officers and volunteer officers during patrols and operations. Another image showed the woman riding a motorcycle while dressed in the police-style outfit. The motorcycle also displayed a green sticker bearing an emblem resembling those used by Thai government agencies.

Phuket Times said the woman had shared the images on her personal social media account and was believed to be staying in the Patong area.

The posts triggered online debate over whether the clothing and accessories were authentic and whether the woman had any official connection to law enforcement. Social media users urged police and relevant authorities to examine the case.

Comments cited by Phuket Times included claims that she approached foreigners and said she could help them renew visas or deal with police, while other users said similar shirts could be bought on e-commerce platforms. Some online users also suggested she may not have known that wearing clothing resembling police uniforms could violate Thai law.

The report cited Section 108 of the Royal Thai Police Act, under which unauthorised impersonation or dressing as a police officer carries penalties ranging from three months to five years in prison. Authorities could also consider Section 146 of the Criminal Law, which covers wearing official uniforms without authorisation in a way that could mislead the public. That offence carries penalties of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 2,000 baht, or both.

As of publication, Phuket police had not announced whether an official investigation had been launched.

A similar case was reported in December 2023, when a Chinese national wore a Thai police uniform and appeared in videos beside an actual officer. The officer later said he had lent the uniform for video content and insisted no illegal activity had taken place.