Online Outrage as Teenager Brags About Looting in Flood-hit Hat Yai

A shocking story has gone viral online, as a teenage boy proudly posted on his Instagram story about looting beer, cigarettes, and other items worth over 100,000 baht from a 7-Eleven convenience store in Hat Yai, Songkhla, amidst severe flooding in the area. The teenager, who is from Hat Yai’s District 8, boasted about the theft, which took place while local residents and animals were struggling to cope with the rising waters.

The Army Military Force Facebook page shared a post, which included an image of the teenager’s bragging Instagram story. The post’s caption read: “Young man from Hat Yai District 8 shows off his looting spree! Proudly stole beer, cigarettes, and other goods worth over 100,000 baht, before posting it on his Instagram story. 

The teenager later deleted his Instagram account after the incident gained widespread attention. Meanwhile, the Thai Special Operations Unit, Dan Thai 54, based in Yala, was sent to investigate the convenience store in District 8 after receiving reports of five individuals, undeterred by the flooding, committing theft at the location.

The incident was shared online, showing police officers in life vests, holding weapons and shields, as they appeared to be preparing for a raid. The situation unfolded late on the evening of November 27, 2025, when a robbery was reported at a convenience store on Rattana Uthit 3 Road in District 8, Hat Yai.

According to Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepor, Deputy Spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, the image of the police officers was authentic, and the Dan Thai 54 Special Operations Unit had been mobilized to the scene after receiving the emergency call. The robbers had reportedly looted the store and taken various items, forcing a store employee to escape through the roof.

Upon arrival, the police team conducted a thorough search of the 3-story commercial building, which housed both the store on the ground floor and residential quarters on the upper floors. While the robbers had already fled, police found that items in the store had been scattered across the floor. Witnesses confirmed that they had seen the suspects entering the store and committing the theft.

The Special Operations Unit had originally been dispatched to assist with flood relief efforts in Hat Yai, including evacuations and food distribution, after the region was hit by severe flooding. However, following the robbery incident in District 8, the police shifted their focus to ensure public safety and security in the area, with investigations continuing to track down the suspects.