Phuket pickup truck racers fined

UPDATE

Pickup truck drivers who went viral in a video for racing on a Phuket road last week have been fined. Three racers presented themselves at Phuket City Police Station on Friday and admitted that they were the drivers in the viral clips.

The three men have now been fined 2,000 baht each. They are facing charges of causing loud noises without a necessary reason, reckless driving, and modifying vehicles illegally, The Phuket Express reported.

Since the men cooperated with police and surrendered themselves, their identities were withheld from the press.

ORIGINAL STORY

A video of pickup trucks racing on a road in Phuket last night has gone viral. The video shows at least three trucks driving at a lightning fast speed, racing from an intersection near the Saphan Hin Public Park in the main city district.

The Phuket Provincial Police commander said that officers caught five of the drivers. Commander Major General Sermphan Sirikong told The Phuket Express…

“The Phuket City Traffic Police also patrolled and checked around the Saphan Hin area for motorbikes and cars that caused a public nuisance. Five drivers were found with drugs and one with an illegal gun.”

General Sermphan said the drivers were brought to Phuket City Police Station for further legal steps.

A few spots in Thailand have had problems with vehicle racing in the past. In August, over 30 Middle Eastern motorbike racers were arrested in Pattaya. Locals and tourists had complained to the police about the joyriders making lots of noise at night, and disrupting traffic. Similar problems around Pattaya had been going on for months. One joyrider even lost his middle finger from crashing while racing.

Pattaya Police Chief Kunlachart Kunlachai said the police had warned of legal action against tourists who regularly drove recklessly, but some still repeated the offence anyway. He said the riders didn’t fully understand Thailand’s traffic rules.

Time will tell if any further details emerge on the most recent racing incident in Phuket.