5 Frenchmen arrested for running police checkpoint in Phuket

[webfact]

Photo via Facebook/ ยุทธพงษ์ นาลักษณ์

 

by Petch Petpailin

Police arrested five Frenchmen for running a police checkpoint while riding their motorcycles on the Kamala-Patong Road in Phuket at 1.15am on Sunday, January 26.

 

A Thai motorist, Yuttaphon Naluck, shared dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account on January 27, showing the foreign motorcyclists ignoring the checkpoint and speeding away in front of Thai police. He captioned the video…

“Police can arrest no one. #ThisIsPatong #ThisIsPhuket”

 

In the footage, other vehicles were seen slowing down as they approached the checkpoint but the foreigners ignored it. They were riding in the left lane when a police officer attempted to stop them for inspection. However, they ignored the officer’s signals and fled in different ways.

At the time, the police did not pursue them, allowing them to leave. None of the foreign riders or their passengers were wearing helmets.

 

The incident, which occurred at 1.15am on Sunday, was later confirmed to have involved officers from Kamala Police Station. The checkpoint was set up to apprehend motorists carrying weapons without valid justification or those in possession of illegal drugs.

 

The video sparked criticism of both the foreign motorcyclists and the Thai police. Many netizens alleged that the police granted too many privileges to foreigners, allowing them to ignore Thai laws and act with impunity.

 

Photo via Facebook/ ยุทธพงษ์ นาลักษณ์

 

Following the backlash, officers from Kamala Police Station launched an investigation to identify the foreign motorcyclists and vowed to bring them to justice to set an example for other foreigners.

 

Police eventually identified all the riders as French nationals and arrested them on Wednesday, January 29. Their identities were not disclosed to the public.

 

Photo via Facebook/ ยุทธพงษ์ นาลักษณ์

According to Phuket Hotnews, two of the foreign men were charged with violating Section 43(8) of the Land Transport Act, which prohibits driving without regard for the safety of others. The penalty includes imprisonment of up to three months, a fine ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 baht, or both.

 

In this case, the two men received a sentence of two months in jail and a fine of 6,000 baht. However, their imprisonment was suspended for one year.

 

Photo via Facebook/ Phuket Hotnews

The other three foreign men were charged under Section 368 of the Criminal Law for failing to comply with officials’ orders. The penalty carries a maximum imprisonment of 10 days, a fine of up to 5,000 baht, or both. These three Frenchmen were fined 1,500 baht each but did not receive prison sentences.

 

The motorcycles were found to belong to a rental shop in the province, with one valued at over 400,000 baht.

 

Officers seized the vehicles as evidence. There has been no report on whether the rental shop owner will be able to reclaim the motorcycles once the case is concluded.

 

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2025-01-31

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

No mention of fines for not wearing helmets.

[steven100]

zis is thailand,  we go ze checka point and ze no stop at ze policy .... now ze frendza musta pay za fine. 

[NickyLouie]

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

[DPKANKAN]

When the headline said "Running A Checkpoint" I thought they meant operating one!!!!5555🤣😂🤣😂

[maddox41]

Since the arrival of mother Russia in Phuket its fast catching up to Pattaya with its crime, misbehaving tourists. 

Throw in the dodgy English and French expats the pissed Australians, the rude chinese tourists it's going to be a absolute disaster give a few more years and the  Brian's trust will go will that was a mistake wasn't it. 

Sad really as 10 yrs ago it was a nice place to live I got out as soon as  the Russians moved in  and went back to BKK safer bigger and you don't have to see or  associate   with those people if you choose not too. 

[Mannekenpis]

Frenchmen or"Racaille" as they are commonly known 

[Peterphuket]

31 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

The Arab and African people roam all over the world, among various nationalities obtained.

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The checkpoint was set up to apprehend motorists carrying weapons without valid justification...

 

What exactly is a "valid justification" for someone riding a motorbike after 1:00 AM to be carrying a weapon?

[NorthernRyland]

32 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

 

Just dystopian fiction based on speculation. Nothing to see here.

 

 

The Camp of the Saints (French: Le Camp des Saints) is a 1973 French dystopian fiction novel by author and explorer Jean Raspail.^[1][2][3] A speculative fictional account, it depicts the destruction of Western civilization through Third World mass immigration to France and the Western world. Almost 40 years after its initial publication, the novel returned to the bestseller list in 2011.^[4]

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Camp_of_the_Saints

[klauskunkel]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

There has been no report on whether the rental shop owner will be able to reclaim the motorcycles once the case is concluded.

What are the odds...

[mudpuppy]

33 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

 

Can't you see it's Guy, Jules, Jean-Pierre and Francois?

[Frankie baby]

Police eventually identified all the riders as French nationals and arrested them on Wednesday, January 29. Their identities were not disclosed to the public.

 

North African Arabs with French passports. Hence names withheld. 

[NorthernRyland]

4 minutes ago, mudpuppy said:

 

Can't you see it's Guy, Jules, Jean-Pierre and Francois?

The racism here is getting out of control. Listen, if you can speak French then you _are_ French. I can bark, therefore I am dog. Understand? It's that simple.

[Iron Tongue]

42 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

A little keepsake from Empire days.

[Jonathan Swift]

14 minutes ago, maddox41 said:

Since the arrival of mother Russia in Phuket its fast catching up to Pattaya with its crime, misbehaving tourists. 

Throw in the dodgy English and French expats the pissed Australians, the rude chinese tourists it's going to be a absolute disaster give a few more years and the  Brian's trust will go will that was a mistake wasn't it. 

Sad really as 10 yrs ago it was a nice place to live I got out as soon as  the Russians moved in  and went back to BKK safer bigger and you don't have to see or  associate   with those people if you choose not too. 

The only reason Americans don't seem to be much of a problem is they are fewer here and outnumbered by the others. I'm American and I can assure you that, ethnically, Americans are equally misbehaved. Not me though, cus I'm special. Haha, actually I barely drink, maybe that has something to do with it. Seriously though, just my opinion, I think it's a combination of age/immaturity, the reasons they come here in the first place (non stop party free for all), and the drunkenness that comes with all of the above

[Jonathan Swift]

6 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

The racism here is getting out of control. Listen, if you can speak French then you _are_ French. I can bark, therefore I am dog. Understand? It's that simple.

People wear their bigotry like a badge of honor. They love to hate, meanwhile, what does it say about their character?

[anfh]

The fines are pathetic. I guess based on what a Thai would be fined, but of no deterrent to tourists etc. 

[Kildonan]

And they blatantly run through red lights in Kamala! 

[Sydebolle]

Well, truth being told, I felt more than once to just drive ahead. Late last year, from Nong Khai to Bangkok, I got stopped no  less than six times. In addition to (Thai) driving license and checking if road tax sticker was valid, in two cases they wanted to see my passport, in one case they wanted to see my work permit, in one case they wanted to see the car papers (I keep a laminated copy of the registration - in my name) which initially was rejected but got settled by my insistence as there is no law to carry the original car registration on the vehicle.  

Bottomline is, that you feel caught by highway robbery gangs with face masks, sun shades, impolite Thai shouting ...... and, in many cases, open to "tips"! 

This does, however, not excuse the behavior of those five non-Thais yet less could be more. And, if you really want to bring discipline onto Thai roads, then take all those drivers out who drive without helmet, without driving license, expired road tax, intoxicated or in a vehicle clearly no longer roadworthy - me thinks. 

[daejung]

What are the name of these "French" ?

I suspect what we call "paper French", "français de papiers"

[daejung]

1 hour ago, NickyLouie said:

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

We are being colonized like the rest of Europe

[ThailandYoda]

They certainly don't look French. A better description would be people holding  French passports. 

[thai006]

When Thailand gonna understand ???   Put people in jail or deport them and blacklist them    and not put 500 fine for that kind of farang 

[sambum]

"In this case, the two men received a sentence of two months in jail and a fine of 6,000 baht. However, their imprisonment was suspended for one year."

 

Pointless, as they'll be long gone by then.

[sambum]

2 minutes ago, thai006 said:

When Thailand gonna understand ???   Put people in jail or deport them and blacklist them    and not put 500 fine for that kind of farang 

 

"...........and not put 500 fine for that kind of farang"

 

500 baht fine just for Thais, then? 

[hotchilli]

The fines achieve nothing... deport them, end of.

[dr_lucas]

1 hour ago, NickyLouie said:

so French ppl are Arabs now ?

 

Sacre Bleu !!!

If you need to ask, you probably haven't been to France lately...

[AngryMan]

What's the big deal?

The french are well known for running away🤪

[Ohyesuare]

20 minutes ago, sambum said:

"In this case, the two men received a sentence of two months in jail and a fine of 6,000 baht. However, their imprisonment was suspended for one year."

 

Pointless, as they'll be long gone by then.

 

A suspended sentence means as long as they don't break the law again during that year, it's considered served. But yes, surely they'll be long gone either way.