The footage, which quickly went viral on local social media channels, including the Phuket Hod Jang Facebook page, has sparked widespread criticism from the local community.
The incident occurred on the Patong-Kamala Road, where traffic police had set up a checkpoint to monitor vehicles.
A 1-minute-and-17-second dashboard camera video shared online shows one tourist on a motorcycle ignoring the officers’ attempts to stop him and racing toward Patong.
The video further revealed others from the same group following suit, zipping past the checkpoint without hesitation.
Members of the same group are then speeding to catch up with their friends.
“If you encounter this, it’s a big deal. It causes trouble for drivers to the fullest extent,” the post on the Phuket Hod Jang page said.
“Kamala Police Chief announced that today, he will check every bill and will not let anyone cause trouble for tourists and the people of Phuket,” the post added.
Netizens were quick to share their frustrations in the comment section. Complaints ranged from the dangers posed by such reckless behaviour to calls for stricter enforcement against offenders.
One commenter expressed anger, writing: “Every day on the road, I have to wait for these reckless drivers to speed and risk hitting people. I want the police to take care of this and confiscate the vehicles.”
Others criticised the lack of sufficient manpower at the checkpoint, with one user commenting, “Kamala checkpoint has too few officers. They can’t handle these foreigners.”
According to the Phuket Hod Jang page, the Kamala Police Chief vowed to take stricter measures to address the issue. Officers will check vehicle documentation more thoroughly and the public was urged to report any instances of dangerous driving.
This incident has reignited conversations about the challenges of managing Phuket’s growing influx of foreign tourists, particularly in high-traffic areas such as Patong and Kamala. Some of the comments posted in response to the video again cited the ‘visa-free’ policy as a major factor.
Meanwhile, locals are calling for a stronger police presence and more accountability to ensure the safety of all road users.