Phuket police to charge a foreigner over a motorbike chain incident with criminal damage. Outrage sparked after the cavalier tourist cut the police chain on his illegally parked unlicensed motorbike. A criminal investigation is underway.
Police have launched an investigation and are seeking a foreigner following an incident on Friday afternoon in Phuket. At length, a Thai local captured a scene where a foreign tourist casually cut a chain affixed to his unlicensed motorbike by police. The cavalier foreigner, with his petite Thai girlfriend, then drove off. Before this, he put his finger to his lips, imploring locals to keep it all secret.
In Phuket, online viewers of the incident have been outraged at the bravado and lawlessness displayed by the foreign man. Police have opened an investigation and will certainly charge him with criminal damage.
Phuket has witnessed another controversial incident involving a misbehaving foreigner. It came with police in the town on the resort island, investigating a young male adult who used pliers to cut a chain on his motorbike.
In short, the chain was affixed by officials as he had illegally parked the vehicle. In addition, the red motorbike had no licence plates.
Young man, calm and composed, walked to a store, purchased steel cutters and returned. He then cut the chain, handed a helmet to his girlfriend and set off
A video of the incident has gone viral online. It shows the foreigner, a tanned caucasian with curly hair, in shorts, rocking the motorbike initially.
Eventually, he discovers it has been chained by authorities.
The young man, accompanied by his girlfriend, however, does not react aggressively or with annoyance.
Eventually, he walks away from the vehicle. Consequently, viewers assumed he was going to the local police station to pay the fine. However, shortly, he arrived back with a yellow pair of chain cutters.
Certainly, it appears the young man was aware he was being filmed.
Afterwards, he handed his petite Thai girlfriend her helmet and raised his fingers to his lips as he looked at the camera.
The gesture meant to keep it a secret. He then drove off on the motorbike with no helmet and no licence plates.
Police were informed by the Thai man who recorded the incident on video. He also asked online if the police were going to act against the cocksure tourist
In response, the deputy police superintendent of the town centre’s police station was informed. Officers arrived at the scene and began to ask questions.
The senior officer promised to track down the cheeky foreigner and punish him severely for his actions. Online, local Phuket people reacted with both outrage and cynicism.
The island has experienced a wave of law-breaking and outrageous behaviour by foreigners since the start of the year.
Indeed, many link it to the massive influx of Russian tourists in force over the years since the start of the Ukraine War.
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From murder to brawls, this particular group appears to have a special lack of respect for the law.
At the same time, Phuket was shocked in March when two New Zealand brothers shamelessly beat up a police officer.
Phuket is currently experiencing a confidence crisis regarding the province’s ability to maintain the rule of law and keep local feelings from boiling over
This incident came just weeks after the alleged assault by Swiss businessman Urs Fehr on a young Thai female doctor. That was on February 24th and continues to capture media attention.
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The Swiss man is due shortly before the Phuket Provincial Court charged with assault. Meanwhile, his visa has been cancelled, and he is facing the prospect of deportation.
However, the ongoing pattern of lawlessness and provocative behaviour by foreigners continues on the island.
In March, a foreigner, believed to be Russian, was videoed having sex with a woman in a car on a beach in Rawai, Phuket.
These stories are becoming quite common and are particularly associated with Russian tourists not only in Phuket but also in Pattaya.
Local feelings run high. Officials and business leaders fear a backlash if the law is not strictly enforced. PM Srettha warned foreign tourists last week
These incidents, however, are occurring at a time of a febrile atmosphere in Phuket. Both business leaders and officials have warned that there is a danger of a backlash from the local population.
On a visit to Phuket last week, partly in response to public concern, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had a warning for foreign tourists.
He insisted they were welcome in Thailand but only if they respected Thailand’s laws and its culture.
If not, he warned them not to come and promised that those who breached the law would be punished severely.
Friday’s incident was posted with video, still photo shots and a video commentary on social network site Facebook by local man Mr Thankrit Tantichuphan
At 5:10 p.m. on April 26, 2024, a Facebook user named Thankrit Tantichuphan posted still photos and clips. The still images include 3 images of the foreign man’s face and 3 images of him pushing his motorbike.
A red motorcycle without licence plates had a chain attached to the rear wheel. In short, two video clips showed a foreign man pushing a motorcycle with chains attached to the rear wheel.
At length, it happened in the evening at around 5 p.m.
The video begins with the young foreigner trying to move his red motorbike. Nonetheless, a chain with a padlock is visible.
The foreigner, additionally, wore a distinctive nose ring.
Unquestionably, Mr Thankrit was aghast at the foreigner’s disrespectful and lawless behaviour. His message with the video on Facebook was clear.
‘What does the Phuket traffic police plan to say?’ he asked.
He even noted the foreign man with his finger to his lips imploring locals to keep silent.
Thai man detailed the incident as it unfolded
‘For a moment, he walked along Phang Nga Road. We thought he would find his way to the police station to pay the fine. After a while, not more than 5 minutes, he walked back with ‘Steel cutting pliers,’ probably went to a local store to buy some. Hasn’t even unpacked the box yet.’
In addition, the poster gave his audience an outline of what he had seen. He said the foreigner, after noticing his bike was padlocked, set off along Phang Nga Road. At length, he was gone for 5 minutes.
Afterwards, he arrived back with the steel-cutting pliers. The Thai man was certainly of the opinion that he knew where they could be purchased.
‘When he arrived back, he managed to cut the chain off. Then he drove away with a calm expression. Plus, he turns to look at the camera and makes a kiss on the mouth, like, ‘Be quiet. It’s really bad. You Phang Pred, you know a lot,’ the Thai observer noted to his social media audience.
Significantly, he noted that the foreigner must have thought the police were ‘clueless’ in Phuket.
He referred to the tourist as a ‘shoddy foreigner’ due to his lack of respect. In his opinion, the man should be deported back to his own country.
Police vow to find and arrest the foreigner. A criminal investigation has been opened. Meanwhile, a charge of criminal damage will apply to the culprit
Online commentators were furious.
One referred to the foreign man as a ‘Farang Kii Nok,’ which is a derogatory Thai term. In effect, it means a cheap foreigner with no respect or integrity.
Police were quick to respond.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Kamalas Niyomkhet, of Mueang Phuket Police Station, confirmed he had seen the video clip. In the meantime, he had already filed a report.
On the instructions of Police Colonel Prathueng Pholmana, a criminal investigation has been ordered. The matter will be pursued vigorously.
First, the foreigner will face a criminal damage charge for cutting the government-owned steel chain.
The senior policeman underlined that both foreigners and Thai locals alike must abide by the kingdom’s laws. Certainly, there would be no exception to this.
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Further reading:
Swiss man Uli Fehr’s hellish Thai nightmare as he is detained and branded as a threat to society
Public anger boils over in Sunday protests in Phuket against Swiss man Mr Uli and private beaches
Anger grows over land for foreigners plan as ex-MP says Thais may face a ban in upmarket areas
Pheu Thai opposes land for foreigners as industry leader warns of abuse from Chinese speculators
Cabinet approves land rights for rich foreigners as Thailand ramps up inward investment in 2022
Amazon becomes a key investor in Thailand as cloud computer firm AWS sets up shop in Bangkok
10 year visa a magnet for global citizens setting up in Thailand with zero tax on offshore income
Wealthy foreigners to own small landholdings associated with homes here agreed in principle
