The footage, widely shared online this week, prompted claims that two tourist couples were behaving indecently on public transport while friends filmed the scene for social media content.
However, an investigation by Tourist Police found the reality was far less scandalous.
Officers from Tourist Police Bureau Division 2 tracked down both the group of tourists featured in the video and the tuk-tuk driver involved.
After reviewing the full video footage, police concluded that the tourists were not engaged in any sexual activity.
Instead, the group had been “dancing and playfully interacting with each other to music” while riding in the vehicle, officers said.
Tourist Police explained that while some movements seen in short clips shared online could be interpreted as suggestive, the complete footage showed no obscene behaviour.
Police nevertheless took the opportunity to advise the tourists about appropriate conduct in public places and the potential for misunderstandings, particularly in a major tourist destination such as Phuket.
Officers noted that behaviour which may appear harmless among friends can easily be misinterpreted when viewed out of context on social media, potentially affecting the island’s image.
The clarification came after an online report alleged that the tourists had been openly engaging in sexual acts, including straddling one another and creating “sex-themed content” while travelling through Phuket.
Tourist Police said their investigation found no evidence to support those claims.
For Phuket’s latest viral controversy, it appears the answer was simple: what some viewers thought was public indecency was, according to police, nothing more than tourists enjoying a tuk-tuk ride.