5 Frenchmen arrested for running police checkpoint in Phuket
Police arrested five Frenchmen for running a police checkpoint while riding their motorcycles on the Kamala-Patong Road in Phuket at 1.15am on Sunday, January 26.
A Thai motorist, Yuttaphon Naluck, shared dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account on January 27, showing the foreign motorcyclists ignoring the checkpoint and speeding away in front of Thai police. He captioned the video…
“Police can arrest no one. #ThisIsPatong #ThisIsPhuket”
In the footage, other vehicles were seen slowing down as they approached the checkpoint but the foreigners ignored it. They were riding in the left lane when a police officer attempted to stop them for inspection. However, they ignored the officer’s signals and fled in different ways.
At the time, the police did not pursue them, allowing them to leave. None of the foreign riders or their passengers were wearing helmets.
The incident, which occurred at 1.15am on Sunday, was later confirmed to have involved officers from Kamala Police Station. The checkpoint was set up to apprehend motorists carrying weapons without valid justification or those in possession of illegal drugs.
The video sparked criticism of both the foreign motorcyclists and the Thai police. Many netizens alleged that the police granted too many privileges to foreigners, allowing them to ignore Thai laws and act with impunity.
Online drama results in arrests
Following the backlash, officers from Kamala Police Station launched an investigation to identify the foreign motorcyclists and vowed to bring them to justice to set an example for other foreigners.
Police eventually identified all the riders as French nationals and arrested them on Wednesday, January 29. Their identities were not disclosed to the public.
According to Phuket Hotnews, two of the foreign men were charged with violating Section 43(8) of the Land Transport Act, which prohibits driving without regard for the safety of others. The penalty includes imprisonment of up to three months, a fine ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 baht, or both.
In this case, the two men received a sentence of two months in jail and a fine of 6,000 baht. However, their imprisonment was suspended for one year.
The other three foreign men were charged under Section 368 of the Criminal Law for failing to comply with officials’ orders. The penalty carries a maximum imprisonment of 10 days, a fine of up to 5,000 baht, or both. These three Frenchmen were fined 1,500 baht each but did not receive prison sentences.
The motorcycles were found to belong to a rental shop in the province, with one valued at over 400,000 baht. Officers seized the vehicles as evidence. There has been no report on whether the rental shop owner will be able to reclaim the motorcycles once the case is concluded.
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