A local social media influencer has called for a boycott of Thailand, urging others not to visit the country following an incident that quickly went viral.
The influencer, who was part of a motorcycle convoy of Malaysian riders heading to Hat Yai, claimed that they were stopped by Thai police and later escorted to a police station for vehicle inspection.
Group of Malaysians fined in Hat Yai for having noisy exhaust
The influencer later alleged that the group was issued 15 summonses totalling THB15,000 (~RM1,900) for various offences, including flashing lights, noisy exhaust systems and other traffic-related violations.
In a video, he recalled the incident and claimed that some of them were fined even though their motorcycles were fitted with factory-standard exhaust systems, which Thai authorities allegedly deemed too noisy.
He also claimed that one member received three summonses for failing to carry his insurance and motorcycle registration documents, which had reportedly been left at the hotel, as well as for allegedly having a noisy exhaust.
He added that a physical driving licence was also required, as a copy printed from an online source without a photograph was rejected by Thai authorities.
“They told us that flashing lights, noisy exhausts and more were not allowed. For everyone’s information, it’s not that we didn’t follow the rules. Before we crossed the border, we were stopped by Malaysian traffic police, and all 17 of us had passed an inspection.”
“But when we reached Hat Yai, we were stopped by a traffic police officer and all of us were brought to the police station,” he said.
Influencer claims they were threatened with being locked up
The group was also allegedly warned that failing to settle the fines promptly could result in them being detained.
He claimed that authorities also told them Malaysian tourists who receive summonses for modified exhaust systems in the future may be required to replace them with original parts on the spot.
“We accept and respect the laws of our neighbouring country, but we were dissatisfied as only one officer was handling the matter, causing us to spend almost three hours there,” he added.
Describing the enforcement as an inconvenience for tourists travelling by motorcycle, he advised Malaysians to think twice before riding to Hat Yai.
“From now on, BOYCOT Thailand. Don’t go there anymore. It’s a waste of time. They’re clearly targeting Malaysians and looking for reasons to find fault with us,” he said in a separate post.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Post reported that the officer involved has since responded to the incident, saying that he was simply carrying out his duties after finding that some of the motorcycles had been illegally modified under Thai law.
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