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

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At Phuket traffic speeds, that suitcase probably still arrived before the taxi.

Believe the British inventor beat them to it

in 1985 with the Sinclair Z5 !

She looks Chinese/Taiwanese from the side.

!00% not a Thai tourist.

She stopped and waited at the junction.

That's one quality suitcase, to be able to roll on Phuket roads.

Rock On girl.

What next, complaints & concerns about people walking on the roads.

Edited August 4Aug 4 by KhunLA

Rolling rolling rolling

Keep those moneybags, I mean tourists rolling

Look out! Ooops.

Rawhide. 😲

3 hours ago, Nemises said:

At Phuket traffic speeds, that suitcase probably still arrived before the taxi.

Police said they would look into the case.

Wasn't there a while ago a Chinese woman in Bangkok like this ?

To much effort to use the search function on AN to look for this.

12 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Wasn't there a while ago a Chinese woman in Bangkok like this ?

To much effort to use the search function on AN to look for this.

You're absolutely correct. A Chinese tourist pootling up some highway toward Don Mueang.

https://youtube.com/shorts/a-6QzyPf8fo?si=OnO5ZM__hNSi-e4K

Edited August 5Aug 5 by The Oracle
Found Thaiger clip of woman. August 2024

42 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

Police said they would look into the case.

Are you here all week? :)

49 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

Police said they would look into the case.

Into the suitcase?

1 hour ago, Gandtee said:

Police said they would look into the case.

I think they will prosecute as clearly it is an open and shut case?

The traffic police need to get a grip of this or there will be a lot more cases like this on the roads 😁

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

female tourist was filmed riding a motorised suitcase

Unusual, a female baggage handler!

And what about wheelchairs for people with motorized disabilities? It's clear this country isn't ready to escape the road jungle it's trapped in.

Where’s the Taxi mafia complaining?

Natural selection at work. Leave her alone.

2 hours ago, cynic1 said:

Where’s the Taxi mafia complaining?

Probably too busy beating the living bejayzus out of Bolt and Grab drivers that linger too long. in their zone.

Thais need to learn their own saying Mai pen rai!

Learn how to share the road ! 🤣

Well at least she wasn’t going down Kata hill , now that would have been dangerous.

21 hours ago, FlorC said:

Wasn't there a while ago a Chinese woman in Bangkok like this ?

To much effort to use the search function on AN to look for this.

I also recall of a similar incident/report in Thailand some years ago.....

No helmet?

5000 baht fine...

On 8/5/2026 at 7:04 AM, Georgealbert said:

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

She seemed fine to me, stopping for traffic, going at a sensible speed.

We have a concern here in Pattaya, foreigners riding their electric, mobility scooters, racing around the streets, up footpaths, in and out of 7-Eleven paying for their Chang and LM's, bloody nuisance.