PATTAYA, Thailand – A traffic police officer from Pattaya Police Station made headlines for his unconventional approach to disciplining a male student at the Motorway-North Pattaya Road intersection on May 30. Instead of issuing a fine for a traffic violation, the officer ordered the student to do push-ups as a warning.
The incident, which gained attention through the Facebook page “Direct Line to the Mayor of Pattaya,” was titled “Traffic Inspector Does Push-Ups with Student.” The post described how the officer opted to punish the student with push-ups and a lecture on traffic rules rather than imposing a fine. Despite the absence of a video clip, the story quickly circulated online, with many netizens praising the officer’s approach.
Pol. Lt. Col. Phanupong Nimsuwan, Chief of Traffic Police at Pattaya Police Station, provided insight into the incident. He explained that the traffic police, in collaboration with the Security Maintenance Division of Pattaya City Hall, were conducting traffic discipline enforcement operations targeting violations such as riding motorcycles through the Central Pattaya underpass.
During the operation, two students on motorcycles were caught committing traffic offenses. The officers ordered them to stop and issued a punishment of 20 push-ups and running around their motorcycles instead of fines. The officer himself participated in the push-ups alongside the students.
The intention behind this method, according to the traffic police, was to teach and instil a sense of traffic discipline among the youth, most of whom are in their teenage years and starting to drive motorcycles to school or explore teenage life. This approach aims to enhance safety awareness and provide guidance to young drivers while supporting parents in ensuring their children’s adherence to traffic laws.
