Staying responsible during COVID-19
Empty roads on Bangkok’s Outer Ring Road
Image adapted from: Khaosod Online
Despite an enforced nationwide curfew, many people still go out past curfew hours for late-driving and partying. One such case happened before the nationwide curfew went into effect.
Took photos along Motorway 9
Image credit: Khaosod Online
The unknown man took a photo of his yellow Mazda while parked on the highway between Sriraj and Kanchanaphisek, also known as the Motorway 9. This highway leads to the outer areas of Greater Bangkok and the area surrounding it.
In the CCTV footage, we see him kneeling and running around his car to photograph it from different angles. He then boldly posted one of the photos to Facebook.
One for the album, another for Exhibit A
Image credit: Khaosod Online
Translation: “Highway atmosphere during the curfew. #DareToChallenge”
Due to photographic evidence, the police were able to identify the driver and are issuing a summon for further investigation. The dilemma is that the driver took the photos before the curfew announcement was official, and technically did not break the law aside from false information. While he did not break the curfew law, he did violate a computer law (Computer Crime Act B.E. 2560, Section 14) by faking the photo dates and causing a public outcry, which threatens national security.
The driver originally took the photos on 29th March at three in the morning and posted them some time after the curfew came into effect. No reason was given for why he posted them post-curfew.
So far, there have been more than 800 checkpoints placed around the country and roughly 300 cases of arrests and fines.
A time and place for thrill-seeking
The instated curfew is to stop people from gathering in large groups at late-night parties and bars to avoid clusters and hopefully contain the virus.
While it is tempting to go out and explore an empty city, it is best to obey the rules for the time being until things settle down. After all, you can’t party hard if you are in jail or sick, so act responsibly.
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