Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A banana farmer took justice into his own hands after repeated thefts from his plantation, culminating in the dramatic torching of a suspected thief’s abandoned motorcycle.

 

The incident took place at around 21:30 on 5 April in Moo 10, Na Nornod subdistrict, Mueang district, Phatthalung province. The plantation owner, 45-year-old Mr Boonrin, told authorities he had endured months of nightly raids by fruit thieves stealing bananas from his 4-rai farm, where he grows Nam Wa, Kluai Khai, and Cavendish bananas.

 

According to Mr Boonrin, the problem escalated after his Nam Wa bananas began to ripen and were frequently stolen before he had a chance to harvest even a single bunch for sale. Fed up and desperate, he decided to take matters into his own hands and laid in wait inside the plantation.

 

That night, the thief returned once again. “He rode in on a motorcycle and parked in the plantation,” Mr Boonrin recounted. “As he walked towards the bananas to cut them, I shouted out, ‘Why are you cutting my bananas?!’”

 

Startled, the thief fled on foot, abandoning his motorcycle at the scene. Consumed with anger over the repeated thefts and feeling powerless after previous police reports failed to produce results, Mr Boonrin said he acted on impulse and set fire to the thief’s motorcycle, destroying it entirely.

 

When asked why he hadn’t called the police again, Mr Boonrin expressed frustration with local authorities. “I’ve reported the thefts many times before, but the police didn’t seem to care and never caught anyone. I’ve been left to suffer alone, so this time I snapped.”

 

The incident has sparked debate online, with some sympathising with Mr Boonrin’s plight and frustration, while others warn against taking the law into one’s own hands. Police have not yet issued a formal statement on the incident.

 

 

-- 2025-04-07

 

 

 

Good for him

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

others warn against taking the law into one’s own hands.

 

In Thailand, that often feels like the only option.

Locally (Chanthaburi) it's durian theft season; where a single fruit sells for more than a farm workers daily pay, too tempting for some. There will be the annual photos on Facebook of police accompanying a thief pointing at a durian.

Should let dogs roam the fields....