CHON BURI, THAILAND – A bodycam recording from a traffic officer exposed a disputed road crash involving a police captain and a foreign driver in eastern Thailand.
Bodycam footage exposes road dispute
Traffic officer Saeb from the Phanat Nikhom station had posted the video on 1 January after being called to a roadside argument in Chon Buri. At the scene he encountered a colleague in a white T‑shirt bearing a police logo, who introduced himself as a “police captain from Mueang Rayong station”. The captain’s pickup truck had rear‑ended a foreigner’s car, and although fault appeared clear, he repeatedly refused to present his driving licence.
Captain insists focus be on foreign driver
Instead of cooperating, the captain demanded that the investigation concentrate on the other driver.
“Investigate the foreigner!”
said the captain, insisting that
“I am a police officer.”
as justification. He accused the foreign driver of causing the crash and even alleged that the man was staying illegally in Thailand.
Documents clear foreign driver of blame
Officer Saeb checked the paperwork and found that the foreigner held a valid driving licence and residence permit and was not at fault in the collision. When Saeb calmly pressed for the matter to be settled through the vehicles’ insurance policies, the situation escalated. The captain raised his voice, demanded “respect” on the grounds of his higher rank and age, and asked for Saeb’s full name.
Alleged threats and abuse of influence
According to Saeb’s account, the captain then threatened to use his influence and connections against him, an act Saeb viewed as clear intimidation. The traffic officer subsequently filed an official complaint, accusing the captain of insult and obstructing an officer in the performance of his duty.
“He tried to use his position and power to evade responsibility,”
said the complaint, according to Saeb.
Police leadership yet to announce action
So far, police leadership had not announced any disciplinary or criminal consequences for the captain, leaving the case with senior superiors. The public was awaiting statements from the Rayong and Chon Buri stations on whether the officer would be held accountable. The incident cast a harsh light on alleged abuse of power within the force, with the bodycam preventing the story from being quietly dropped.
Credibility of the force at stake
For the Royal Thai Police, the case represented another blow to its image. The force now faced pressure to show that the law applied equally to all in uniform and that rank did not shield officers from scrutiny. Observers noted that the credibility of the entire police corps was on the line in how superiors handled the allegations.