A Japanese tourist has been fined 3,000 baht for disobeying a police order after he was stopped from releasing a hot-air lantern because of a fire risk during the New Year Countdown in Chiang Mai.
A video of the incident showed the man, later identified as Hirano, 31, trying to release the lantern in a crowded area in front of the Tha Phae Gate at about 30 minutes after midnight on Wednesday. An officer who gave his name as Thaweesak walked up behind the tourist and went to pull the lantern down.
The tourist became angry and started yelling in the officer’s face, pushing him and grabbing him by the collar. The video was posted online and widely shared on social media.
The tourist later came to the Chiang Mai station on Wednesday night to apologise to officer Thaweesak. He said it was his misunderstanding that releasing a lantern was allowed in the area, so the police order had made him angry.
Police explained the law to him and fined him 3,000 baht. Hirano admitted he was in the wrong but said the incident would not dim his desire to visit Thailand again.
The next time, he said, he would make sure to behave better.
