Police on Koh Phangan have issued a stern warning to a French national caught riding a one-wheeled electric scooter on public roads. The incident highlights growing safety concerns over the use of such vehicles on the island.

 

On November 17, the Koh Phangan Police Station Facebook page posted images of the rider along with a cautionary message: “Electric scooters like this are prohibited on public roads due to safety concerns and their inability to be legally registered. If an accident occurs, there is no insurance coverage to rely on.”

 

The police report revealed that a patrol officer spotted the French tourist operating the one-wheeled electric scooter on the 200 Years Road in Phet Phangan Municipality. The officer stopped the rider and issued a warning, explaining that these scooters are not permitted on public roads due to their unregistered status and potential dangers to both riders and other motorists.

 

Public reaction to the incident has been vocal. Comments on the police station’s Facebook post include:

 

• “He rides very fast. Yesterday, he cut in front of a car near the fresh market—it was almost an accident!”

• “I see him every day, going up and down the road multiple times. It’s terrifying, especially when larger vehicles are nearby.”

• “This is dangerous. The police should take action before something serious happens.”

 

Following the post, police confirmed that the tourist was warned not to use the scooter on public roads again. Authorities emphasised that if he is caught repeating the offense, the scooter will be confiscated, and he will face fines and stricter legal actions.

 

The incident serves as a reminder for tourists and locals alike to adhere to road safety regulations to ensure the well-being of all road users on the island.

 

Picture courtesy of police facebook page.

-- 2024-11-18

 

Not only the one wheeled scooter. Since when did we start to go on motorbikes, bicycles and other vehicles shirtless on public roads. Have we really lost our pride, dignity and respect soo much? 

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Not only the one wheeled scooter. Since when did we start to go on motorbikes, bicycles and other vehicles shirtless on public roads. Have we really lost our pride, dignity and respect soo much? 

Calm down, he's French

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Not only the one wheeled scooter. Since when did we start to go on motorbikes, bicycles and other vehicles shirtless on public roads. Have we really lost our pride, dignity and respect soo much? 

Shirtless in public places/roads & vehicles, is absolutely disgusting.

Shirtless on a holiday island ... the nerve of some people   

 

Not everyone is fat & ugly, and ashamed of their physical appearance. 

 

I even saw a local Thai gent without a shirt on in the village the other day.  I almost puked 

Imagine on a packed BTS, standing next to a shirtless guy, getting squashed... an enjoyable situation? Maybe for a few who feel sad about my post.

 

Of course, shirtless on the beach, pool etc is fine, but not roaming around the entire city!

Handsome or not, is irrelevant IMHO

1 hour ago, ravip said:

Imagine on a packed BTS, standing next to a shirtless guy, getting squashed... an enjoyable situation? Maybe for a few who feel sad about my post.

 

Of course, shirtless on the beach, pool etc is fine, but not roaming around the entire city!

Handsome or not, is irrelevant IMHO

There is no BTS on Koh Phangan.

Nor is there a city and that is where the French guy was.

He wasn't in Bangkok.

Relevance is important in this article.

Dude, just buy a motorcycle and drive it without a helmet or license like the locals.

1 hour ago, ravip said:

Imagine on a packed BTS, standing next to a shirtless guy, getting squashed... an enjoyable situation? Maybe for a few who feel sad about my post.

What are you on about?

the dude WAS NOT ON THE BTS.

 

Nor was he sharing a confined space with others. he was on his own vehicle on a tropical island.

quit looking for reasons to be offended. 

He, as a individual, caused disturbance with this electric thing, otherwise there is basically zero checks except in front of the police station itself. That's why everyone calls it police road. So if he was tapped on the fingers it was justified for sure.

 

A lot of idiot drivers there, I stopped counting but it's at least a few per month that die on the roads. Just half a year ago some foreigner hit another minivan causing the driver of 2 kids to die.

 

Month ago another young guy died on the spot, another one last week now needs 250K in bills for his legs etc. My best guess is that 90% of the things here not even make the news. People would be horrified.

4 minutes ago, madone said:

1 hour ago, ravip said:

Imagine on a packed BTS, standing next to a shirtless guy, getting squashed... an enjoyable situation? Maybe for a few who feel sad about my post.

What are you on about?

the dude WAS NOT ON THE BTS.

 

Nor was he sharing a confined space with others. he was on his own vehicle on a tropical island.

quit looking for reasons to be offended. 

 

100% agree - there's no need to shoe-horn offence here by making stuff up... 

 

IMO - the police were correct to pull the guy over on the basis that the 'mode of transport' is unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured - thats all fair enough. 

Now, how many other motorcycles on the Island are also, unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured ???

 

This guy coloured outside the lines and that gets noticed here... 

 

50 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

100% agree - there's no need to shoe-horn offence here by making stuff up... 

 

IMO - the police were correct to pull the guy over on the basis that the 'mode of transport' is unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured - thats all fair enough. 

Now, how many other motorcycles on the Island are also, unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured ???

 

This guy coloured outside the lines and that gets noticed here... 

 

 

Said to be French.... doubtful  due to ...

 

1 No beret

2 No Blue/white striped shirt

3 (the clincher) No onions around his neck.

 

 

 

 

54 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

This guy coloured outside the lines and that gets noticed here... 

 

He's a Farang, easy target, easy money, no repercussions. Thai locals are ignored, business as usual.

1 hour ago, madone said:

What are you on about?

the dude WAS NOT ON THE BTS.

 

Nor was he sharing a confined space with others. he was on his own vehicle on a tropical island.

quit looking for reasons to be offended. 

quit looking for reasons to be offended. - I agree with you 100%

 

11 minutes ago, ravip said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

100% agree - there's no need to shoe-horn offence here by making stuff up... 

 

IMO - the police were correct to pull the guy over on the basis that the 'mode of transport' is unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured - thats all fair enough. 

Now, how many other motorcycles on the Island are also, unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured ???

 

This guy coloured outside the lines and that gets noticed here... 

 

 

 

A bit 'nitpickey' those emoji's eh, ravip ????  

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

“Electric scooters like this are prohibited on public roads due to safety concerns and their inability to be legally registered. If an accident occurs, there is no insurance coverage to rely on.”

...unless they are being ridden by Thai citizens, then never-mind, the warning does not apply.

6 minutes ago, connda said:

...unless they are being ridden by Thai citizens, then never-mind, the warning does not apply.

 

I doubt very much that a 'Thai citizen' would even consider buying an electric unicycle.

Totally impractical and nowhere to hang the amulet.

They are absolutely correct to put a ban on these stupid one-wheeled vehicles.

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

Dude, just buy a motorcycle and drive it without a helmet or license like the locals.

Okay yourself a sidecar which is totally illegal but yet everybody has one

I have one of those electric unicycles. Closest thing to flying without leaving the ground. But what about all the other unregistered and unlicensed electric scooters, bikes, trikes, golf carts and mobility carts you see on the road. Are they ok?

2 minutes ago, Seeall said:

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

Dude, just buy a motorcycle and drive it without a helmet or license like the locals.

Okay yourself a sidecar which is totally illegal but yet everybody has one

 

To two tier enforcement is rather obvious in this situation, particularly given the degree of helmetless riding and vehicles without tax stickers etc...  so the betting is many (if not most) are also uninsured etc and quite likely most riders on the island unlicensed (but thats just an assumption).

 

Nevertheless, 1 wheeled device is just stupid, especially if being ridden recklessly - so the Police did the right thing. 

The point of course is their selectiveness when doing the right thing !!! 

 

---------

 

That said, it would be good, particularly in area's such as this to allow electric scooters - its time Thailand offered a way to tax and road legalise many of these - but they also come in such varied form standardised classifications become difficult...   But on small roads with (theoretically) slow traffic, this is not an issue.

 

Something like this [below] could be made road legal and offer plenty of convenience from a mobility perspective. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhjVjjV-kz0

 

 

That said - these scooters are still a lot less stable than a regular scooter - so perhaps maintaining a regular scooter as the 'minimum road legal form of transport' makes sense. 

 

 

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

I have one of those electric unicycles. Closest thing to flying without leaving the ground. But what about all the other unregistered and unlicensed electric scooters, bikes, trikes, golf carts and mobility carts you see on the road. Are they ok?

 

No - theoretically, they are also illegal as they are not registered, taxed or insured - so if one is involved in an at fault accident with another vehicle there is little room for recourse. 

 

Then, as pointed out we have the food-carts, samlors etc... I very much doubt they are insured - but all Thai authorities turn that blind eye... 

 

This is also the argument against bicycles sharing the road with other vehicles which have to be registered, taxed and insured.

 

 

I was terrified when I saw these Death Machines® in both NoCal & SoCal, both men and women whizzing by at very fast speeds 20-30mph (32-48 kmh), no helmets, padding or safety gear, even dangerous on hiking/biking paths, much less roads.

Dude!

One bump and you're a Meat Crayon on the pavement. 😀

4 hours ago, ravip said:

Shirtless in public places/roads & vehicles, is absolutely disgusting.

And by the way, it is against the law and punishable by a fine.

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

Calm down, he's French

Where else would he get that silly accent LOL

An off topic troll post with a link to a YouTube soundtrack has been removed.

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

There is no BTS on Koh Phangan.

Nor is there a city and that is where the French guy was.

He wasn't in Bangkok.

Relevance is important in this article.

Of course, of course. But once this is a habit...

YES! I have been next to a sweaty shirtless person on a sky train and my experience was NOT pleasant. By the way, it was not a Thai person either.

 

2 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Dude, just buy a motorcycle and drive it without a helmet or license like the locals.

Or come to Australia where despite safety being the country's number one concern, electric scooters and one wheelers are a regular site on the roads.