Seven French tourists arrested in Thailand after holding 'shisha party' in defiance of coronavirus curfew

Seven French tourists arrested in Thailand after holding 'shisha party' in defiance of coronavirus curfew

Police arrested seven French tourists for breaking coronavirus curfew laws by holding a "shisha party." Officers raided the villa in Phuket, southern Thailand on Sunday night (April 5) after angry neighbours turned them in for flouting restrictions.

They found the group - two women and five men - sitting on the patio passing round the smoking pipes, defying a lockdown requiring people to stay inside.

The French tourists were identified as Abao Hakin, 28, Hrarat Sani, 31, Hassane Nordine, 36, Elidrissi Janeledokme, 27, Elhedli Mehdi, 31, and two women Roune Yasmino, 20, and Zied Larbita, 26.

Police also confiscated the shisha pipes found at the scene and the smoking paraphernalia.

The holidaymakers - stuck in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused flights to be cancelled- were pictured at the police station with their heads in their hands.

Police Major General Rungroj Thakoonpunyasiri said the tourists will remain in custody before they will be sent to court to face trial.

He said they had broken an Emergency Decree to contain the spread of coronavirus, which bans people from gathering in one place.

He said: "Initially, they were all charged of violating the state of emergency act and importing the illegal equipment.

"We already contacted the French embassy.

For now, they will stay at the station while waiting for the prosecution." Thailand has declared 2,369 cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus and 30 deaths.

Thailand's measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic include a ban on all passenger flights, mandatory face masks, a national 10pm curfew and the closure of all non-essential customer-facing businesses.

Popular holiday island Phuket has been one of the worst affected places, with 140 declared cases of the coronavirus.

They have banned all travel to and from the island, closed beaches and enforced a strict 10pm curfew.

Last week, three British tourist were arrested after being caught among a group of tourists defying Covid-19 restrictions by having an alleged drug-fuelled half-naked party with Thai girls.

The lads, named by police as George Oliver Hoskins, 23, Saul Alan Jones, 22, and Stuart Alexander McDonogh, 29, were among nine foreigners and five Thai women partying in Phuket, Thailand, on Wednesday night (April 1).