Police were alerted to the two men’s antics at about 9pm on Saturday (Mar 23), reporters were told today.
A video of one of the men spraypainting the letters “H R D S H T” on kerb stones circulated online over the weekend, spurring comments about foreigners breaking local laws and causing damage.
The video showed the incident happening near the Government Savings Bank Intersection on Phra Barami Rd, with another foreign man sitting on a motorbike nearby in support.
Other signs for local businesses in the area were also found ‘tagged’ with spraypaint, presumably by the men.
One post online called the spraypainting a “slap in the face of #Patong police”.
By 4pm yesterday (Mar 25), officers had tracked down the two men, publicly identified by Patong Police today as Russian nationals Evgeni Egorov, 23, and Oleg Shirshov, 22.
The men were found to be staying at a guest accommodation on Thaweewong Rd (the Patong beach road), police said today.
The Yamaha motorbike used by the men, and seen in the video, was parked outside.
Investigating officers questioned the men, who told police they were under the influence of marijuana at the time.
Taking this into consideration, officers escorted the men to Patong Police Station, where they both were charged with “jointly causing loss of property”, police confirmed.
No other details of their arrest, or the penalty the men are likely to be subjected to were explained.