Smokin’ apology: American recreates Ghostbusters scene with cannabis fogging on Bangla Road, Phuket (video)
An American man issued an apology after he committed a legal violation by using ganja in a public place on Bangla Road in Phuket, reminiscent of a scene from Ghostbusters. The man was captured on video releasing cannabis smoke from a fogging machine.
In a viral video, a man wearing a black balaclava to conceal his face and his group of friends were observed walking along Soi Bangla in Phuket, spraying pedestrians with a fogging machine. While the machine resembled a mosquito fogging device, it emitted cannabis fumes instead.
A lot of people on the road were confused and attempted to stay away from the man while the others recorded videos of him.
The video later set the stage for a debate across Thai social media platforms. The central question revolved around the legality of such actions as smoking cannabis in a public place for personal pleasure was considered illegal. Thai netizens questioned whether it is illegal to release ganja smoke in public as the man did in the video.
Patong Police Station officers investigated the man’s identity until they discovered that he was an American man named Angkhan. Officers apprehended the man at a hotel near Bangla Road and questioned him in detail.
Angkhan apologised for his action.
“I am sorry for what I had done. I did not think it through. I love Thailand.”
Angkhan claimed that he has a cannabis shop in the US and wanted to promote it. So, he recorded a video in an attempt to promote his shop. ThaiRath reported differently stating Angkhan was about to open a ganja shop in Phuket and created the video to promote the shop.
Police did not provide an official stance on whether charges would be pressed against the American man. Channel 3 reported that the foreign man already returned to his home country.
According to the Public Health Act, smoking cannabis in a public place which causes annoyance and danger to others will result in imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of up to 25,000 baht, or both.
