Malaysian motorcyclist calls for boycott of Thailand after convoy gets fined over noisy exhausts and bike modifications
A Malaysian social media influencer has called on fellow Malaysians to boycott Thailand after he and a group of bikers were stopped and fined for traffic offences in Hat Yai.
In a series of Facebook posts, influencer Tok Singa claimed Thai authorities were deliberately looking for faults with Malaysian riders.
Source: Tok Singa on Facebook
The Thai officer involved rejected that characterisation, saying he was carrying out his duties under local traffic laws. He later posted footage of the encounter, showing his interaction with the group.
According to the New Straits Times (NST), the convoy comprised 17 Malaysian motorcyclists who received 15 summonses for various traffic offences, amounting to 15,000 baht (about S$580) in total.
Riders fined over exhausts, lights, and documents
Tok Singa said the group was stopped by a Thai traffic officer after arriving in Hat Yai by motorcycle.
He said the riders were subsequently taken to a police station, where their motorcycles were inspected individually.
Footage shared by the Thai officer showed him pointing out parts of the motorcycles, including the exhausts and lights, during the checks.
Source: @pol.weerasak on TikTok
According to NST, Tok Singa said some riders were fined over exhaust noise even though, according to him, their motorcycles had factory-standard exhaust systems.
He also said one rider received three summonses, including for not carrying insurance and motorcycle registration documents, which had been left at the hotel, as well as for an allegedly noisy exhaust.
Source: Tok Singa on Facebook
Tok Singa said the group accepted that visitors had to follow Thai law, but was unhappy that only one officer was handling the matter. According to him, the process took close to three hours.
He also said the convoy had been checked by Malaysian traffic police before crossing the border and was allowed to continue its journey.
Tok Singa later posted several calls urging Malaysians not to travel to Thailand, while also claiming that Thai authorities were singling out Malaysian riders.
One of his posts had received more than 56,000 likes at the time of writing.
Thai officer says he was enforcing local law
Following the online backlash, Road Safety Expert Association (RSEA) founder and adviser Jamil Manan Supri urged Malaysians to assess the incident based on the law and available evidence, rather than let it escalate into a wider dispute.
He noted that conduct allowed in Malaysia could still breach Thai traffic laws, while riders who believed they had been treated unfairly should check the offence, evidence, and enforcement process before appealing or lodging a complaint.
Separately, the Bangkok Post reported a different set of figures.
Pol Sgt Maj Third Class Weerasak Phansalaeman said he stopped all 17 motorcycles and issued tickets to nine riders for offences including illegal modifications, excessive noise, and driving-licence issues, with fines totalling 12,000 baht (S$460).
Mr Weerasak maintained that he was carrying out his duty. While he acknowledged concerns that the controversy could affect tourism in Hat Yai, he said he did not expect a significant impact as most visitors respected Thai law.
Footage he later posted showed a relatively calm interaction with the group, with some riders seen laughing before they posed for photos together.
Source: @pol.weerasak on TikTok
Tok Singa challenges officer’s account
Following Mr Weerasak’s defence of the enforcement action, Tok Singa posted again on Wednesday (19 Aug), urging the officer to release body-camera footage showing what he had actually been fined for.
He said he was willing to accept any offence he had committed, but argued that riders should also be able to challenge the authorities if they believed a mistake had been made.
Tok Singa added that his physical driving licence was valid until 2036 and alleged there were issues with the documentation and summons issued to him.
“Is this not a mistake by the Thai authorities against Malaysian tourists?” he questioned.
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Featured image adapted from Tok Singa on Facebook and @pol.weerasak on TikTok.
