A Turkish tourist has become the center of attention in Thailand after improperly parking his motorcycle in Phuket, leading to a sequence of controversial actions.
The incident, which took place on Phang Nga Street near Kasikorn Bank, has quickly escalated into a leading news story in the country.
The individual, identified as 35-year-old Alper Polat, was fined for parking his red motorcycle in a restricted area. In an act of defiance, Polat used a large yellow bolt cutter to remove a wheel clamp placed by the police on his motorcycle.
After cutting the chain with the bolt cutter and starting his motorcycle, Polat handed a helmet to his companion and then gestured for silence to an onlooker filming the event. Authorities, upon noticing the missing motorcycle, initiated an investigation into the matter.
The actions of Polat have sparked widespread criticism on social media, with local media repeatedly broadcasting and analyzing the footage. The Phuket police have confirmed that they are actively pursuing Polat.
He was arrested and taken to the Phuket City Police Station to face a charge of damaging government property, reported by the Phuket Express.
Polat now faces charges under Section 159 of the Traffic Act for attempting to damage, destroy, devalue, or render inoperative traffic control equipment. Additionally, he is charged under Section 80 of the Criminal Code for attempting to commit a crime.
The Phuket police have not commented on the parking fine nor provided detailed information about the penalties for the other charges. This case highlights the legal repercussions of tampering with traffic control devices and has become a subject of broad public discourse in Thailand.
