PHUKET — Immigration officers at Phuket International Airport have detained a Ukrainian woman suspected of extensively vandalizing a rented condominium before attempting to leave the country.
Miss Anastasia, a Ukrainian national, was apprehended on May 10 as she was preparing to depart Thailand. She is accused of causing damage estimated at over 350,000 baht ($10,490) to a rental property in Mueang district, Phuket province.
Prior to her arrest, officers from Wichit Police Station had issued two summonses for questioning since May 1, but she failed to appear. Authorities subsequently obtained a court-approved arrest warrant. When she attempted to leave Thailand on the morning of May 10, immigration police detained her and transferred custody to Wichit Police.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspect confessed to the vandalism, stating she was angry about not receiving her security deposit back as agreed. However, according to the property owner’s explanation and evidence, Miss Anastasia was not the person who signed the rental agreement—a Russian national was the official tenant. This discrepancy was cited as the reason the owner did not immediately refund the deposit.
Police have charged the Ukrainian woman with property damage and are preparing to prosecute her according to legal procedures.
The case was first reported to Wichit Police Station on April 29 by Ms. Warinrat, 39, the property manager, who suspected the Ukrainian woman was responsible for the destruction inside the condominium unit.
Meanwhile, the room owner, Miss Praphaphan, posted photos of the damage on Facebook to warn other landlords. The images showed cream-white walls and ceiling covered with blue and green scribbles. Some areas featured male genitalia symbols, letters spelling “32,000” like the amount of money, and above the bed was written “SWINDLE.” Additionally, the bed, pillows, blankets, and curtains were slashed, with cotton stuffing scattered throughout the room.
Ms. Warinrat reported that the Ukrainian tourist had rented the room since April 15, 2024, on a one-year contract set to expire on April 15, 2025. However, after staying for a year, she initially refused to vacate the property. Eventually, she agreed to stay until April 29, 2025, and arranged to return the keys at 4:00 p.m. But at 3:00 p.m., the Ukrainian woman sent a message stating she had already left the room and had dropped the keys in a trash bin.
Subsequently, Ms. Warinrat, accompanied by friends and the condo’s security personnel, brought a locksmith to open the door for inspection. Upon entering, they were shocked by the extensive damage throughout the room. All electrical equipment had also been destroyed. They initially estimated repair costs and labor at approximately 350,000 baht.
The condo owner has clarified that she was not refusing to return the 32,000 baht ($965) security deposit but was following proper contract procedures. She explained several key points:
- The contract stipulated a 14-day processing period for deposit returns after deductions
- She would only transfer money to the official contract holder’s account
- The Ukrainian woman demanding the refund wasn’t actually listed on the contract
- A pre-departure room inspection couldn’t be completed as requested
- Outstanding charges for utilities remained unpaid
The owner maintains she’s been unfairly portrayed as wrongfully withholding the deposit when she was simply following proper procedures and couldn’t legally return funds to someone not listed on the rental agreement.
After the Ukrainian woman’s arrest, the room owner posted today: “Whatever karma you create, you must face the consequences, young lady.”
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