Pattaya —
Residents and business operators in South Pattaya are still frustrated with the persistent presence of noisy Middle Eastern street racers gathering at night. Some hotel residents even moved from the area to avoid the unbearable nuisance, according to hotel operators.
Police officers from the Pattaya police station raided Soi Yen Sabai in South Pattaya early this morning today, July 31st, following residents’ complaints that young adults, mostly Kuwaiti nationals, had congregated in the alley and caused noise disturbances with their rented modified motorcycles.
The complaints stated that these young men revved up their engines, blocked the entire alley with their vehicles, parked in front of houses without permission, and drove loudly up and down the street without any regard for traffic rules. They also claimed the riders never wore helmets and had no valid licenses or insurance.
When the police arrived to inspect the situation at 1 AM, they found the road inside Soi Yen Sabai completely blocked by parked motorcycles, making it impossible for regular traffic to pass through.
The police then used patrol cars with sirens and made announcements to disperse the Kuwaiti group, but the group seemed indifferent and stood together, watching and somewhat seemingly amused by the authorities.
At the end of the operation, the officers seized 15 of the motorcycles that were blocking traffic and would proceed with legal actions against the tourists and the motorbike rental agencies accordingly.
The Pattaya News interviewed a hotel operator, who asked to keep his name a secret, and learned that the noisy racers had caused some of his hotel residents to move out. He urged the authorities to be more rigorous in enforcing laws against these tourists.
There are a number of recent traffic accidents involving Middle Eastern tourists in Pattaya. On July 26th, a Kuwaiti tourist risked a leg amputation when a motorbike he was pillion-ridding forcefully grazed against a traffic barrier, causing him severe leg injuries.
To tackle this issue, the Pattaya police tried working with the Kuwaiti ambassador, asking him to raise awareness about Thailand’s traffic rules among their citizens. This method, however, did not seem effective so far.
