Foreigner criticised for paying Phuket man to pass police checkpoint

Foreigner criticised for paying Phuket man to pass police checkpointLegacyA foreign tourist was caught on video paying a Thai food delivery rider to ride a rental motorcycle through a police checkpoint in Phuket, prompting speculation online about his motives. The incident was first shared by the food delivery rider on his social media account before being reposted by the Shadow Phuket Facebook page, where it attracted widespread attention. The encounter reportedly took place outside a convenience store on Siriraj Road in the Patong area of Phuket. In the footage, the foreign tourist used a translation application to communicate with the Thai rider. The rider later told viewers the tourist asked him to ride a rental motorcycle through a police checkpoint ahead and that he agreed to the request. The rider then parked his own motorcycle outside the store before driving the foreigner’s rental vehicle with the tourist’s wife as a passenger. Wearing his ride-hailing service jacket, the rider passed through the Phuket police checkpoint without being stopped. Photo via Facebook/ Shadow Phuket After crossing the checkpoint, the rider dropped off the woman before returning to collect the foreign man. He later showed viewers he had received 150 baht for the service and said he planned to use the money to buy drinks for colleagues. The Shadow Phuket Facebook page questioned why the tourist avoided riding through the checkpoint himself and encouraged followers to consider possible reasons. Some social media users speculated the foreign man may not have possessed a valid driving licence or could have been under the influence of alcohol. Photo via Facebook/ Shadow Phuket Others suggested more serious possibilities, including the presence of illegal items hidden on the motorcycle or criminal history. Several commenters also criticised the delivery rider for accepting the request, warning he could have faced legal consequences if prohibited items had been found on the vehicle. The page administrator commented that while it was positive for Phuket residents to assist tourists, any help should remain within the law. Photo via Facebook/ Shadow Phuket Police have not yet issued a statement or confirmed whether an investigation will be launched into the incident. In a similar story reported in Phuket in February, a foreign TikTok user was criticised for suggesting that his viewers wear jackets from ride-hailing and food delivery applications in Thailand to easily pass police checkpoints. He also provided several steps and tips to help them avoid police checkpoints and insulted Thai traffic police by saying, ‘They love money. These Thai police love money so much”.

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