PHUKET, THAILAND – A 12-second video showing a foreign cyclist clinging to a moving truck on a busy highway shocked tourists and residents alike.
Viral clip shows cyclist pulled by truck
The Facebook page “in Phuket” posted the short clip on 7 January, showing a cyclist on Thepkrasattri Road heading towards Thalang. With his right hand he held onto the rear of a moving truck while his bicycle rolled alongside, powered only by the pull of the vehicle. The page added a sarcastic but serious warning that a small mistake could be fatal, and the clip spread rapidly online.
Online reactions: outrage and dark humour
Comments reflected shock and disbelief, with many users condemning the life‑threatening and irresponsible act. Some speculated the tourist had grabbed onto the truck at an earlier junction, while others responded with dark humour.
“The cool breeze was probably effort enough for him.”
said one user. Another summed up the mood, writing:
“This is how some tourists treat road safety – as if it were a game.”
said another user.
Silence from local authorities
Local authorities had not commented on the incident, and it remained unclear whether the cyclist had been identified. It was also uncertain whether he would face legal consequences, as the behaviour could fall under dangerous interference with road traffic. Phuket police, who had repeatedly warned against risky behaviour in the past, had so far remained silent, even though a clear statement would have sent an important signal.
Pattern of risky behaviour among tourists
The incident was not an isolated case, as tourists on Phuket and other islands repeatedly provoked concern through reckless traffic behaviour. Whether drunk driving, riding motorcycles without helmets or this latest daredevil stunt, the lack of respect for local laws and personal safety worried both officials and residents. Such actions endangered not only the perpetrator but all other road users, as even one sudden braking manoeuvre by the truck driver could have triggered a catastrophe.
High accident toll and tourism image at stake
The video served as a stark illustration of recklessness on a fast, heavily used arterial road where there is no airbag and no second chance. Thailand recorded one of the highest road‑fatality rates in the world, and every such incident undermined efforts to improve safety. For Phuket’s tourism industry, which wanted to present the island as a safe and open destination, the clip was another blow to its image and a reminder that the next mistake could be the last.