Most motorcycle street racers regard illegal street racing as a daily activity that they cannot do without otherwise they will feel missing out something that matter, a street racer told Thai PBS after his arrest on the night of July 17.
The street racer whose name was withheld because he is a minor was among 63 illegal racers and pillion riders rounded up in Bangkok by a combined force of police, military personnel and local officials.
Among the detainees were 45 youths under 18 whose parents were summoned to meet with the authorities on Tuesday to acknowledge the charges against their children who were also placed under probation.
The street racer claimed that he didn’t take part in the illegal racing but just one of the spectators. However, he admitted that he had participated in several street racings in the past but gave up after an accident when he broke a foot bone.
He explained that he quit racing because he was cursed and looked down upon by people who knew about his illegal activity.
The youth’s mother who asked to be anonymous said she agreed with the tough measure against the street racers but had reservation about the punitive actions against the parents. She admitted that not every parent had time to look after their children because they had to work to make a living.
Acting metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Sanit Mahathavorn said that each parent would have to put up a 20,000 baht surety for a two-year probation period for each offending racer.
This amount of money will be confiscated if the offender was caught engages in a second racing, said Sanit, adding that the measure appears to be harsh against the parents but it is necessary for the peace of the majority.
Under the NCPO order, a parent whose son or daughter was caught repeating the illegal racing will be liable to three months jailterm and/or a fine of 30,000 baht.
