Pattaya —
In a meeting on Monday, Pattaya police told operators of rented motorbike shops to carefully check the identity documents of their Kuwaiti customers and keep a record of them, in case those customers used the vehicles to engage in street racing and disturb the public.
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The meeting on August 7th followed numerous complaints against Middle Eastern men who rented modified motorbikes to cause a public nuisance in the middle of the night in Pattaya, especially on Soi Yen Sabai.
The complaints alleged that these young men engaged in a variety of disruptive and dangerous behaviors, including revving their engines, blocking the entire alley with their vehicles, parking in front of houses without permission, and driving up and down the streets without any regard for traffic rules. They also claimed that the riders never wore helmets and had no valid licenses or insurance.
In response to the public’s outcry, the authorities had tried multiple methods to stop the tourists’ conduct, including consulting with the Kuwaiti embassy, raiding the racers’ rendezvous, and seizing their vehicles. However, their efforts were unsuccessful so far.
This led to a meeting between motorbike rental agencies, tourist police, immigration police, and Interior Ministry officials based in Pattaya to find a solution.
According to Pattaya Police chief Pol Col Thanapong Phothi, authorities have successfully arrested a total of 320 Arabian tourists under violation of the Land Traffic Act. 86 motorbikes have been impounded, and 37 motorbike rental operators have been charged for allowing drivers without valid licenses to rent vehicles. They will be subject to a fine of 2,000 baht.
Pol Col Thanapong told rental motorbike operators to check the driving licenses and passports of their customers before lending motorbikes to them. They are also required to keep copies of the documents and remind their customers to respect traffic laws while driving.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tanu Nilapat, the Vice President of the Pattaya Car Rental Association, raised an important issue about checking documentation at the meeting. He said that the tourists often evade this rule by having their friends, who possess all the required documents, rent the bikes and then use them collectively, making it hard for operators to check their documents.
These tourists, mostly young college students on summer break, also respond uncooperatively and rebelliously when the operators tell them to respect the traffic rules.
Acknowledging the concern, Pol Col Thanapong stated that he will look into the problem and find an optimal solution soon.
