Japanese man vows to behave after arguing with Thai police over lantern ban
A Japanese man issued an apology after arguing with and attempting to assault a Thai police officer who warned him against floating a lantern in the city centre of Chiang Mai.
The attempted assault came to public attention after the Facebook page เจ๊มอย v+ (Jmoi v+) shared footage of the incident yesterday, January 1. The incident reportedly occurred on December 31, last year. The page captioned the video…
“This Japanese tourist should not behave like this here. This Thai police officer banned him from floating a lantern, but he grabbed the officer’s collar. Chiang Mai province has already announced a ban on lantern floating because it could cause fires. Acting like this is unacceptable.”
In the video, the Japanese man and his two male companions were seen preparing to release the lantern into the sky in the middle of a crowded area. A police officer approached the Japanese man, dressed in a white shirt, and asked him and his companions to stop.
The group ignored the officer’s request, prompting him to pull the lantern down. The Japanese man confronted the officer, complaining about his interference. A woman, believed to be with the group, attempted to intervene.
Foreigner apologises
Many Thai netizens praised the police officer, later identified as Police Sub-Lieutenant Thaveesak Wongjai, for his calm and firm handling of the situation. Thaveesak was commended for ensuring public safety by enforcing the ban on lantern floating, which had been implemented to prevent potential fires.
Thaveesak, who serves at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station, received further recognition from his superintendent, who awarded him 10,000 baht in cash as a reward for his commendable actions.
The Japanese man was later identified as 31 year old Hirano. He was summoned to the police station for questioning and subsequently apologised to the officer. Hirano claimed he was unaware that floating lanterns was prohibited in that area.
Thaveesak accepted Hirano’s apology, noting that the tourist already faced the legal consequences of his actions.
Channel 7 reported that Hirano was charged under Section 138 of the Criminal Code for resisting or obstructing an official performing their duty. The penalty for this offence includes imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both. In this case, Hirano was fined 3,000 baht.
Hirano later expressed his love for Thailand’s tourist attractions and stated his intention to return to the country. He also vowed to refrain from displaying aggressive behaviour in the future.
