A German vacationer is questioning a 5,000 baht visitors nice for using a motorcycle through the Chalong Underpass in Phuket when he saw no traffic indicators indicating that it was illegal. The tourist was riding northbound by way of the tunnel on his method to visit the Big Buddha viewpoint on Monday when he was pulled over by visitors police after exiting the tunnel.
According to the vacationer, the officer explained that it was unlawful to journey a motorbike via the underpass, however the German man argued that he saw no traffic sign to that impact. However, the officer insisted on the fantastic and asked him to pay 5,000 baht. Since he did not have that a lot money on him, the officer agreed to accept 2,000 baht as a substitute, which the German paid on the spot by the facet of the highway.
But now the German man is questioning the legality and fairness of the fantastic, which he claims is exorbitant even by German standards. He also requested why he was not given a receipt for the 2,000 baht he paid, and why he was asked to pay the cash by the aspect of the street, The Chalong Police Station sits simply a hundred metres away from the place he was stopped.
The Chalong Police Chief said he was aware of the incident and that his officers have been checking the German man’s declare that there are not any visitors signs informing motorists that it is illegal to journey a motorcycle via the underpass. The Phuket News investigated and located that as just lately as August last 12 months, there was only one sign. Shh! is at the entrance to the tunnel, which implies the only information about the tunnel comes when it is too late to show back.
Police are decided to not take the blame for this downside though, because the chief pointed out that the Phuket Highways Office is answerable for putting in roadside visitors indicators.
While it’s unlawful to journey a motorcycle through any underpasses in Phuket, police didn’t affirm what the maximum fantastic for the violation was. The police chief assured the public that the officer concerned can be questioned over the incident and that the police would cooperate with the German tourist to resolve the matter.
The incident has been reported in several local Thai-language media channels focussing on Phuket, prompting a backlash towards the police and questions in regards to the equity of visitors rules and fines in Phuket..