Bangkok
Senior Thai officials have issued a strong warning to ride-hailing platform Bolt, threatening to block its operations in the country following a disturbing incident in which a rider allegedly drove past a young passenger’s destination, consumed kratom (a stimulant drink), and caused the terrified 17-year-old schoolgirl to jump from the moving motorcycle and sustain injuries in what was a highly viral incident, and just the latest in a series of high profile problems say officials.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. on April 23rd, 2026, in Bangkok’s Nong Khaem district. The student had booked a Bolt motorcycle ride from the Rama 2 area to her home in Bang Bon 5, Nong Khaem. According to reports, the arriving rider used a red Honda Wave motorcycle and was operating under someone else’s account, reportedly his father’s Bolt ID, a practice that Thai officials have previously said was a recurring problem with Bolt drivers.
During the trip, the rider stopped at a petrol station to buy and consume “nam krathom” (kratom drink). The increasingly uncomfortable student began recording the rider on her phone. Instead of stopping at her destination, the rider sped past it for several kilometers. When she repeatedly asked him to stop, he allegedly tried to snatch her phone. At a red light intersection on Phet Kasem Road 81, the girl jumped off the moving bike in fear, tumbling onto the road and sustaining injuries including a swollen head. Bystanders and a fellow rider with a dashcam assisted her and helped file a police report at Nong Khaem Police Station. The dashcam video and mobile phone video later went viral.
Police later identified the 22- or 25-year-old rider (reports vary slightly) as using his father’s account. He claimed the student had pinned the wrong location and denied harmful intent, but admitted to kratom and cannabis use while driving. He faces charges including unlawful detention.
The case has brought a sharp reaction from senior Thai officials. On April 29th, Patchara Anantasilpa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE), publicly criticized Bolt for failing to manage risks properly.
He stated the incident “should not have happened” and spoke about Bolt’s alleged non-compliance with agreed safety conditions, despite extensions granted until late March 2026 for proper registration. Patchara warned that authorities may block the platform entirely if standards are not met, potentially using the Computer Crime Act or upgrading existing regulations.
Dr. Chaichana Mitrpant, Executive Director of the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), noted that current laws mainly allow only business notifications and identity checks. ETDA has summoned Bolt for clarification and demanded urgent improvements, including:
– Strict identity verification (matching the registered driver for every ride, using biometrics if possible)
– Prevention of account sharing, again possibly by using biometrics and regular check ins on the app to ensure the proper driver is driving.
– Ensuring only properly licensed public vehicles (Ror Yor 17/18) and drivers are used
– Suspending riders who break regulations and guidelines, including consumption of drugs or alcohol on duty, and alerting other platforms
Non-compliance could lead to a business ban, with a 90-day remediation period before further action.
Sorapong Paitoonphong, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, added that Bolt’s operating certificate expires at the end of May 2026. With over 2,000 violations linked to Bolt out of roughly 6,700 total complaints on ride-hailing cases, renewal is at risk if improvements are not made.
Bolt Thailand’s General Manager, Nathadon Suksiritarnan, said the company had suspended the rider’s account, expressed sympathy for the victim, and claimed it had already blocked over 40,000 non-compliant drivers. The firm, however, positioned itself as a marketplace using independent contractors rather than a direct employer but has pledged further cooperation with authorities.
This shows ongoing challenges in Thailand’s ride-hailing sector, where account sharing, unlicensed drivers, and inadequate vetting remain issues despite new Ride Sharing Platform regulations enforced since March 31st, 2026. Officials are pushing for stronger civil and criminal penalties against platforms to enhance passenger safety and prevent repeats.
The case has sparked widespread public concern, with social media users calling for better protections, especially for young female passengers using these services late at night.
Photo: Patchara Anantasilpa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (
