An unidentified foreign man has created a public uproar after being recorded in Phuket Old Town cutting a police chain from his motorbike, parked illicitly. The video, which surfaced on social media on April 26th, was taken on Phang Nga Road.

 

The footage shows the man using a large cutter to break the chain placed on his wheel by the city authorities. After successfully removing the lock, he motions for silence to the person recording him and quickly drives off.

 

The video's uploader indicated the man chose to buy a cutter from a nearby shop instead of paying the fine at the Phuket City Police Station, a decision that spurred public discussion due to the cutter price being higher than the fine.

 

Phuket City Police Chief Colonel Pratueng Phonmana confirmed to The Phuket Express that the police are studying CCTV footage to identify and charge the man.

 

The act of breaking the police chain equates to damaging government property, a crime carrying heavier penalties than the initial parking violation. According to Thai laws, penalties for such crimes can be severe, including fines, imprisonment or both. In extreme cases, punishments could range to ten years in jail, a fine of up to half a million baht, or a combination of both.

 

Public reactions to the incident are mixed, with some admiring his boldness, and others criticizing his disregard for local laws. Calls for maximum punishment, including prison, a hefty fine, and deportation, have surfaced. As police continue with their investigation, they are encouraging anyone with information regarding the man's identity to come forward.

 

File photo for reference only. Courtesy of Wikipedia

 

-- 2024-04-27

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Did the Police take the number plate I wonder.

Another quality tourist. Good job.

52 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

Did the Police take the number plate I wonder.

My rental car got lock once in Khon Kaen...The procedure is a ticket is issue on the offence...including vehicle number..So police have a copy on the book..I think they like to know who the rider is...?   Could be owner..rental or stolen..Who knows ?

Parking, traffic rules and most actions associated with driving in Thailand is a shambles, motor bikes park in car designated parking zones, all vehicles park in designated no parking zones, many vehicles park partially on the driving lane and sometimes as much as a meter blocking the lane for traffic to pass. They even sometimes park fully blocking the lane so they can go into a shop to make a purchase! They drive in the wrong direction in 1 way roads sign posted & flashing no entry lights displayed with arrows painted on the road! The entire scenario is a total shambles and all of a sudden in tourist high season the RTP decide to erect No parking signs, chain up bikes and fine people, why would they do this as parking in many tourist areas is often difficult to find. Property owners have also got on the racket and put road cones and barriers in front of their properties which is again just typical stupid Thailand, they dont own the road, its public property and the police do nothing about controlling this. What a joke!

Although the cutter cost more than the parking fine, superficially it’s a cost effective alternative because the cutter can be used again in the future, so he need never pay a parking fine again.

 

of course there is the damage to government property thing to consider 🙄

 

actually, his problem may have been that he didn’t know where to go to pay the fine. I was clamped in Phuket town many years ago and it took ages to find out what I was supposed to do to get unclamped. The ticket is all in Thai, as you would reasonably expect.

1 minute ago, paul1804 said:

Parking, traffic rules and most actions associated with driving in Thailand is a shambles, motor bikes park in car designated parking zones, all vehicles park in designated no parking zones, many vehicles park partially on the driving lane and sometimes as much as a meter blocking the lane for traffic to pass. They even sometimes park fully blocking the lane so they can go into a shop to make a purchase! They drive in the wrong direction in 1 way roads sign posted & flashing no entry lights displayed with arrows painted on the road! The entire scenario is a total shambles and all of a sudden in tourist high season the RTP decide to erect No parking signs, chain up bikes and fine people, why would they do this as parking in many tourist areas is often difficult to find. Property owners have also got on the racket and put road cones and barriers in front of their properties which is again just typical stupid Thailand, they dont own the road, its public property and the police do nothing about controlling this. What a joke!

In Phuket town, often it’s the shop that you park in front of, that dobs you in to the police. The cynical part of me says that there is a kick back to the shop for tipping off police, who of course collect on the fine.

Another Idiot Farang! Nothing New here! 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

An unidentified foreign man has created a public uproar after being recorded in Phuket Old Town cutting a police chain from his motorbike, parked illicitly. The video, which surfaced on social media on April 26th, was taken on Phang Nga Road.

 

The footage shows the man using a large cutter to break the chain placed on his wheel by the city authorities. After successfully removing the lock, he motions for silence to the person recording him and quickly drives off.

 

The video's uploader indicated the man chose to buy a cutter from a nearby shop instead of paying the fine at the Phuket City Police Station, a decision that spurred public discussion due to the cutter price being higher than the fine.

 

Phuket City Police Chief Colonel Pratueng Phonmana confirmed to The Phuket Express that the police are studying CCTV footage to identify and charge the man.

 

The act of breaking the police chain equates to damaging government property, a crime carrying heavier penalties than the initial parking violation. According to Thai laws, penalties for such crimes can be severe, including fines, imprisonment or both. In extreme cases, punishments could range to ten years in jail, a fine of up to half a million baht, or a combination of both.

 

Public reactions to the incident are mixed, with some admiring his boldness, and others criticizing his disregard for local laws. Calls for maximum punishment, including prison, a hefty fine, and deportation, have surfaced. As police continue with their investigation, they are encouraging anyone with information regarding the man's identity to come forward.

 

File photo for reference only. Courtesy of Wikipedia

 

-- 2024-04-27

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

The police will not be amused and nor will the driver 😂

1 hour ago, norfolkandchance said:

Did the Police take the number plate I wonder.

Why wonder that?  Police do not remove offending vehicles' registration plates.

Do the crime pay the fine. Would they do this in their own country. I doubt it. Another entitled Epat/ tourist.

1 minute ago, wensiensheng said:

In Phuket town, often it’s the shop that you park in front of, that dobs you in to the police. The cynical part of me says that there is a kick back to the shop for tipping off police, who of course collect on the fine.

That's right, Dob the foreigner! We dont want them here but we need their $$$ 

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why wonder that?  Police do not remove offending vehicles' registration plates.

Wake up sour pus, he means did they record the number plate. You obviously didnt "wonder" today!

49 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Well, he should not have been riding a motorbike in Thailand.

 

Everybody knows what happens to those who ride choppers in Thailand, as well.

 

Whether it be a chopper, or a teeny trike, or a three-wheeled scooter..

The results are almost inevitably the same:

 

a. Road accident

b. Hospitalization

c. Debate upon the Topic of insurance

d. Go-Fund-Me campaign to Medically Repatriate on a Pricey Medivac flight to Home Country

e. Discussion on TV concerning Stupidity of "Other" Farang in Thailand

 

All of the above.

 

And even more.

 

Forever more.

 

 

 

When we were kids there was always some old man clutching his pearls and warning us about the perils of whatever we were enjoying. 

 

None of our faces ever "stayed that way" none of us lost an arm by putting it out the car window. It's still fun and games because none of us has lost an eye - yet.  I often run with a popsicle in my mouth to defy those angry geezers of my youth. 

 

 

 

 

 

We wish we knew his nationality (probably those pesky Russians once again) to start bashing immediately! 

2 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why wonder that?  Police do not remove offending vehicles' registration plates.

Wake up sour pus, he means did they record the number plate. You obviously didnt "wonder" today!

How could you ever know that he didn't mean what he posted?  Wake up!

Hip hip hip, Hooray for the clever foreigner. Less tea money for the police. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

According to Thai laws, penalties for such crimes can be severe, including fines, imprisonment or both. In extreme cases, punishments could range to ten years in jail, a fine of up to half a million baht, or a combination of both.

... for cutting a chain. However, overrun a country and break all laws and everything is cool. 🙄

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Public reactions to the incident are mixed, with some admiring his boldness, and others criticizing his disregard for local laws. Calls for maximum punishment, including prison, a hefty fine, and deportation, have surfaced. 

... likely from netizens that break the law on a daily basis. 

Maybe dont want to go police to pay because overstay or another crimes.

Possibly, On overstay, no license, Russian. 

Off topic post and reply has been removed

Saw this on TV this morning. Police will find him if they not have already. 

1 hour ago, norfolkandchance said:

Did the Police take the number plate I wonder.

They can’t think of everything 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

a decision that spurred public discussion due to the cutter price being higher than the fine.

 

Ah, but the cutter is reusable.

24 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

How could you ever know that he didn't mean what he posted?  Wake up!

 

I read it to mean what you read.

 

To take a license plate means to remove it.

 

Unless you watch old Gangster and Cop movies on TCM (Ted's Classic Movies channel)...maybe....

 

 

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

Although the cutter cost more than the parking fine, superficially it’s a cost effective alternative because the cutter can be used again in the future, so he need never pay a parking fine again.

 

of course there is the damage to government property thing to consider 🙄

 

actually, his problem may have been that he didn’t know where to go to pay the fine. I was clamped in Phuket town many years ago and it took ages to find out what I was supposed to do to get unclamped. The ticket is all in Thai, as you would reasonably expect.

+ no license and wearing a 'loud' T shirt.

47 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

Saw this on TV this morning. Police will find him if they not have already. 

They’re hot on the case working on leads lol

The chain is obviously just another shakedown method. Explain to me how it’s even possible to get a parking ticket in a country where ON A HIGHWAY it can be LEGAL or at least quasi legal to stop/park in the left lane. 
 

on a completely unrelated note I find Thai drivers to be the worst in the world at understanding the rear end of their vehicle is hanging out when they are making a left turn or stopping. It’s uncanny how stupid they are. So many times they can simply pullover a little more and they don’t… they just block the traffic behind them for no reason forcing people to stop or dangerously merge 

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why wonder that?  Police do not remove offending vehicles' registration plates.

Did it have a registration plate? I see many bikes here in Bangkok without them.