The incident occurred on Dibuk Rd around midday yesterday (May 8), where a red sedan was parked in a yellow-white zone, a restricted area reserved for public transport pickup and drop-off.
Traffic police had locked the vehicle’s wheels and issued a ticket.
Shortly after, the Tunisian man returned to the vehicle with a woman believed to be a fellow traveller.
According to a viral video shared by Seri Suksawat on his Facebook saying ‘Driving like this must be exposed in Phuket’, the man attempted to bypass the wheel clamp by jacking up the car and swapping out the immobilised wheel.
However, Pol Lt Col Kamalas Niyomkhet, Deputy Superintendent of the Phuket City Police, and his team arrived just in time to stop the attempt.
The Tunisian man was arrested on two charges: Attempting to move a clamped vehicle without permission, under Sections 59 and 159 of the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522. The second charge was driving without a valid license.
He was taken to Phuket City Police Station for further investigation and will face prosecution in court, police said.
Additionally, the owner of the rental car, who allowed the suspect to drive despite lacking a valid license was fined B2,000 under Section 57 of the Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 for permitting an unlicensed driver to operate their vehicle.
The video sparked strong reactions online, with many netizens criticising the behaviour and calling for stricter penalties against disrespectful foreign drivers.
Suggestions ranged from vehicle immobilisation upgrades to permanent bans for offenders.
Phuket City Police have reminded both tourists and car rental businesses to respect Thai traffic laws and ensure all drivers are properly licensed.