Foreign man arrested for running illegal motorcycle rental in Phuket
Locals question police delay as illegal rentals reportedly widespread
Police arrested a foreign man in Phuket for allegedly operating an illegal motorcycle rental service catering to foreign tourists. However, the suspect denied the accusation and attempted to shift the blame to a friend.
Officers from Tourist Police Sub-division 3 launched a crackdown on illegal vehicle rental businesses operated by foreigners and identified one suspect in Kathu district, Phuket. The man was reportedly associated with a business called One Way Big Bike Rental Company.
Police raided the premises yesterday, August 5, and arrested the man, identified only as Dinar. His nationality was not disclosed to the public. At the time of the raid, Dinar was reportedly washing a motorcycle inside the shop.
Officers asked to see his passport and work permit, but he was unable to produce either. Dinar insisted that he was not the owner of the business, claiming that it belonged to a friend named Victor.
According to Dinar, the motorcycle he was washing also belonged to Victor, who had simply lent it to him. He claimed they were friends and that no rental business was being operated at the location.
Police were not convinced by Dinar’s explanation and charged him under Section 8 of the Foreigners’ Working Management Act for working without a permit. The offence carries penalties ranging from a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a two-year ban on applying for a work permit in Thailand.
Officers stated that they would continue the investigation into the foreign national named Victor and any other foreigners potentially involved in the illegal operation.
Following the news report on the Phuket Times Facebook page, several Thai netizens expressed scepticism in the comments, questioning the delay in enforcement and claiming that illegal foreign-run motorcycle rental businesses were widespread across Phuket. Some comments included…
“There are so many of them. They advertise their services across all social media platforms.”
“Have you only just woken up? I’ve seen them operating for a long time. Their services are more advanced than Thai shops – they’ve got QR codes and GPS trackers installed on every vehicle. When the rental period ends, the engine automatically shuts off. Thai shops should adopt this system. Don’t be surprised when you see a motorbike abandoned on the roadside. Time ran out, so the foreigners just left them.”
“If police really want to arrest them, the locals can point out exactly where they’re operating.”
“These foreign-run rental shops are everywhere in Phuket. You’ve only just spotted one?”
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