A video of a foreign child steering a car on a busy public road in Phuket has caused outrage online, with netizens questioning the responsibility of the adults in the vehicle.
The clip was shared by a well-known Phuket news page on the evening of June 9. It showed a young foreign boy, believed to be under 10 years old, sitting on the lap of a foreign adult in the driver’s seat while the car travelled along Chao Fa Road, heading towards the Central Phuket intersection.
The person who recorded the video said they first noticed the car swerving from side to side, causing vehicles behind it to slow down and keep their distance. They initially thought the driver might be intoxicated or inexperienced.
However, when they drove closer to check, they saw the boy sitting on a foreign adult’s lap in the driver’s seat, with the child holding the steering wheel while the adult appeared to help steer.
Amarin TV reported that after the video was posted online, it quickly drew criticism from social media users, many of whom questioned how an adult could allow a child to drive on a public road.
Many commenters said that, in several other countries, guardians could face immediate legal action for allowing such an incident to happen. Others questioned why similar behaviour could still be seen on Thai roads and asked, “Where are the police?”
Some commenters noted that Chao Fa Road is a busy main road and warned that any accident could have endangered not only the family but also other innocent road users.
Many netizens urged officials to investigate and take legal action if any laws were broken. They also called for equal treatment, regardless of whether those involved are Thai or foreign, saying public roads should not be treated as practice grounds at the expense of public safety.
The story Foreigner lets young child steer car on busy Phuket road as seen on Thaiger News.
