British tourist’s beach blunder lands him in trouble

A British tourist found himself in a sticky situation after driving onto the sidewalk and getting trapped in the sand on Kamala Beach on Monday. The mishap led to police intervention and hefty fines for the Brit’s reckless escapade.

Officers from the Kamala Police Station, Phuket Province, launched an investigation into the baffling trend of tourists driving onto the sidewalk and encountering sand-related snags near the picturesque beachfront.

The culprit behind the wheel was identified as a 26 year old British holidaymaker, whose vehicle had become trapped in the sandy terrain.

The tourist, hailing from Krabi Province and residing in Kamala Subdistrict, Kathu District, recounted how he and his girlfriend had embarked on an evening drive along the beach. However, inclement weather, with considerable rainfall, rendered the road slippery, causing the car to skid out of control and collide with the dunes, rendering it immobile.

Subsequently, law enforcement officials imposed penalties on the hapless driver for his unwarranted sidewalk excursion. Under the stipulations of the criminal code, reckless driving endangering others or properties carries a fine of 4,000 baht. Additionally, the tourist faces a hefty compensation sum of 20,000 baht payable to the car rental company.

Kamala police had encountered similar cases involving individuals driving onto sandy beaches, comprising both locals and foreigners. Measures have been taken, including the installation of warning signs and steel barriers at Kamala Beach entrances, to deter such reckless behaviour, reported KhaoSod English.

Furthermore, collaborative efforts with local maritime operators aim to monitor boat and jet ski activities along the beachfront, ensuring compliance with safety regulations.

In related news, a motorist who flouted the rules by driving a black sedan on Kamala Beach in Phuket was a Thai man, not a foreigner, contrary to initial assumptions. He received a fine of 1,000 baht for his action.

A local in Phuket posted a video of a black Toyota Camry Hybrid sedan on Kamala Beach on Facebook on April 1 and claimed that the driver was a foreigner.