‘Fake plates’ taxi busted by Highway Police in Chumphon

HIGHWAY POLICE officers apprehended a Thai man who had been operating an illegal Phuket taxi with fake green-and-white license plates since 2019.

The man was arrested during a routine vehicle inspection on Phet Kasem Rd (Highway 4) in the Tambon Sap Anan, Chumphon province.

Mr Veerasak (full name withheld) was apprehended at a "traffic discipline checkpoint", Highway Police reported last Friday (Sept 22).

Returning from Sisaket to Phuket in his grey Toyota Fortuner bearing green and white license plates "ชข 4231 Phuket”, he was flagged down due to the absence of a road tax sticker on his windshield. Subsequent checks by officers revealed that the license plates were fake.

According to the national database, Mr Veerasak’s car was still registered as a private vehicle under the number "กต 4621 Surat Thani”.

With evidence presented to him, Mr Veerasak admitted that he bought the Fortuner outside of Phuket before the COVID-19 pandemic and later relocated to the island in search of employment.

A friend suggested he work as a taxi driver, but Mr Veerasak failed to properly register the vehicle with the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) as he was not a local resident.

Still pursuing a taxi driver’s career, Mr Veerasak bought the green-and-white plates via LINE for B20,000 and had been using them since 2019.

He was taken to Tha Sae Police Station in Chumphon to face charges accordingly. Highway Police have not disclosed the penalties he may face.

Mr Weerasak said he paid B690,000 for the Fortuner and B20,000 for the fake plates. Photo: Highway Police