EXAT officer under fire for offensive new year Facebook post

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) punished an officer for insulting drivers who use expressways for free during the new year holiday by calling them “dogs.”

The Facebook post of the officer, whose identity was not revealed, went viral on Thai social media on December 31. In the post, the female officer included a picture of a new year party at the EXAT office with the caption that said:

“Working on the last day of the year. Welcoming New Year’s Day, the day when all the dogs will be allowed to use almost every expressway for free.”

EXAT typically waives toll fees on most tollways nationwide during public holidays, allowing Thais travelling from their home provinces to work in Bangkok or returning home to spend special occasions with family. This initiative aims to encourage those who usually avoid tolls to utilise them, saving travel time and enabling more quality time with their families. However, a recent post by an EXAT officer sparked controversy as many netizens found the language offensive.

The post, later shared by a news Facebook page, garnered significant attention from Thai netizens. Some questioned the use of derogatory language by the officer, while others demanded action from EXAT on the matter. In response to the public outcry, EXAT Director Surachate Laophusuk stepped forward to clarify the situation.

Surachate reported that he addressed the matter with the officer responsible for the message, concluding that it was a misunderstanding and a reckless action. He clarified that the officers did not refer to all users as dogs but intended to discuss dogs frightened by fireworks during new year celebrations, often running onto expressways.

Despite Surachate’s clarification, he acknowledged the need for consequences and stated that he had already issued a punishment for the officer’s actions, although the specific details of the punishment were not disclosed

The officer also apologised on Facebook, insisting that she had meant to talk about frightened dogs, not motorway users. She also deleted the post that sparked the problem from her account.