Tourist on motorised suitcase sparks Phuket road fears

A female tourist was filmed riding a motorised suitcase along a road in Phuket, prompting concern from residents and online viewers over the risk of a collision with passing traffic.

The unidentified woman, whose nationality is unknown, was seen travelling towards Kata Beach in Karon subdistrict, Mueang district. The footage was reported by TV Channel 7 on Tuesday, August 4.

A passer-by filmed her as she calmly travelled on the suitcase, stopped at traffic lights and crossed to the other side of the road rather than using the footpath.

Busy route to Kata Beach

While traffic was not especially heavy when the tourist was filmed, the road is normally busy and carries cars, motorcycles and buses throughout the day, particularly at rush hour.

Viewers and local residents said the behaviour created a substantial risk of an accident. They warned that using a suitcase as road transport could result in a rider losing balance, falling, or suffering serious injuries if struck by a vehicle.

Picture courtesy of TNR

For foreign visitors and residents, the episode is a reminder that Phuket's main tourist routes can be difficult to navigate even on foot. Road users should not assume that a low-speed personal device will be readily visible to drivers, particularly among motorcycles, buses and cars on busy resort roads.

Residents and onlookers urged tourists not to use suitcases as transport on public roads. They also called on relevant agencies, hotels and tourism businesses to provide continuing safety advice to foreign visitors, particularly on road safety in Thailand, to help prevent accidents.

Devices designed mainly for airports

Electric rideable suitcases have existed for several years and have become relatively popular in some countries as a way of getting around large airports, according to the BBC.

Most are powered by lithium batteries and have a top speed of around 13 km/h.

In some countries the motorised suitcases are categorised as "powered transporters". They therefore fall under the road traffic rules applied to motorised vehicles such as e-scooters, Segways and hoverboards.

In those countries they cannot legally be used on public roads without a licence and safety equipment, nor may they be ridden on pavements or cycle lanes. People can face penalties for doing so, although powered transporters may be used on private land with the owner's permission.

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5 August 2026