French tourists arrested in Phuket for damaging police chain

Phuket police recently apprehended two French tourists in Patong, Loma Circle, who were caught damaging a police chain used to secure their illegally parked motorbike. The arrest took place on May 2 and was publicised by Patong Police Station only two days after the launch of the You Cut, I Catch campaign by Phuket City Police Chief, Pratuang Pholmana.

The campaign, aimed at ensuring law adherence among tourists, threatens to revoke the stay permits of those found guilty of damaging chains on illegally parked motorbikes.

The actions of the two French nationals were caught on camera as they employed a stone to break the chain on Thaweewong Road. This footage was subsequently shared on the Patong Police Station’s Facebook page, reported The Phuket News.

Without revealing their identities, the police charged the pair for “damaging, destroying, depreciating, or rendering useless a vehicle restraint device placed by an officer to prevent moving a vehicle in accordance with Section 59 of the Land Traffic Act.” The police report remained silent on the potential penalties the two might face for breaking the chain. Likewise, it did not disclose specifics about the initial traffic violation that resulted in the scooter being chained.

In related news, a Turkish national has been apprehended and charged by the Phuket City Police after he used pliers to sever a police chain on his motorbike. The motorbike was parked illegally in a no-parking zone in Phuket Town, and the police had secured it with a chain to prevent removal.

The incident unfolded on April 26 and came to public attention through a video that was posted online over the weekend. The Turkish national, Alper Polat, was captured on camera returning to his blue Yamaha N-Max motorbike, which was improperly parked near the Kasikorn Bank on Phang Nga Road.

The 35 year old found that the authorities had locked his bike with a police chain as a consequence of the parking violation.