The Malaysian owner of a Mercedes-Benz luxury car who broke a wheel clamp after parking illegally in Hat Yai, Thailand, has turned himself in to the local police. According to Thai media, he was not only given the maximum traffic fine, but was also handed over for criminal investigation on suspicion of damaging government property.
According to reports, the accused, a 40-year-old man surnamed Wu, recently visited the traffic division at the Hat Yai police station, accompanied by a Malaysian friend and an interpreter, to pay the fine.
Through the interpreter, Mr. Wu explained that on the day in question he parked his car and went for breakfast with a friend. Upon returning, he only saw a ticket tucked in the windshield and thought he only needed to drive to pay the fine, without noticing that the wheel had already been clamped.
He said that after getting in the car and starting it in preparation to leave, he suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the front wheel. When he got out to check, he realized the wheel had been clamped; in his panic, and because he was in a rush to take his friend to Hat Yai International Airport to catch a flight to Bangkok, he drove off quickly.
He emphasized that he did not intentionally damage the police wheel lock device or try to evade responsibility, and publicly apologized for the incident. He also presented his friend's flight ticket to Bangkok as evidence.
A Hat Yai traffic investigation officer disclosed that after Mr. Wu broke the wheel clamp, he did indeed go to the airport to send off his friend. The police then tracked him down using the car's license plate information and contacted him to return to the station to cooperate with the investigation.
The incident took place on the 4th of this month and has attracted a lot of attention locally since coming to light. Hat Yai Police Chief Colonel Matcha also stated that he would send a letter to the Malaysian Consulate requesting the car owner return to Thailand to cooperate with the investigation and face legal consequences. He is also coordinating with the Songkhla Immigration Bureau to consider adding him to the blacklist.
Through the interpreter, Mr. Wu explained that on the day in question he parked his car and went for breakfast with a friend. Upon returning, he only saw a ticket tucked in the windshield and thought he only needed to drive to pay the fine, without noticing that the wheel had already been clamped.
He said that after getting in the car and starting it in preparation to leave, he suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the front wheel. When he got out to check, he realized the wheel had been clamped; in his panic, and because he was in a rush to take his friend to Hat Yai International Airport to catch a flight to Bangkok, he drove off quickly.
He emphasized that he did not intentionally damage the police wheel lock device or try to evade responsibility, and publicly apologized for the incident. He also presented his friend's flight ticket to Bangkok as evidence.
A Hat Yai traffic investigation officer disclosed that after Mr. Wu broke the wheel clamp, he did indeed go to the airport to send off his friend. The police then tracked him down using the car's license plate information and contacted him to return to the station to cooperate with the investigation.
The incident took place on the 4th of this month and has attracted a lot of attention locally since coming to light. Hat Yai Police Chief Colonel Matcha also stated that he would send a letter to the Malaysian Consulate requesting the car owner return to Thailand to cooperate with the investigation and face legal consequences. He is also coordinating with the Songkhla Immigration Bureau to consider adding him to the blacklist.