When a customer didn’t return a hired bike, Pattaya police claimed it wasn’t theft, which angered the owner of a motorcycle rental business.
Thananpat Tatchaphon, owner of Mister Thai Motorbike on Soi VC, was perplexed and furious when he went to the press on May 1 to criticize police for ignoring a clear case of thievery.
A local reporter received images from Thananpat showing the missing motorcycle and the renter, Ms. Angkawipa Nganphan.Thananpat claims that on April 9, Ms. Nganphan rented a Honda PCX for three days, with a return date of April 12. Later, Nganphan got in touch with Thananpat to add three more days to the rental agreement.
Nganphan stopped returning phone calls and returning the motorcycle after the extended due date passed.Thananpat visited the address listed in the rental agreement after being unable to contact the tenant and found it to be a phony. A week later, seeking to file a lawsuit, she spoke with an attorney and reported the incident to the Pattaya Police Station.A Pattaya police duty officer disagreed, stating that Nganphan had hired the bike rather than stealing it.
Thananpat argued that the incident should be handled as vehicle theft and voiced his confusion and dissatisfaction with the police’s attitude. There are no signs that the lost motorcycle may be found notwithstanding the lack of legal action.
Anyone who could find both the motorcycle and the alleged thief and return them to Thananpat would receive a reward.
