"While the City Floods, He Drifts on a Jet Ski"... Smiling 'Bangkok Man' Booked by Police

Obstructing Pedestrians and Workers with Waves
Public Outrage Erupts as Video Spreads Online

A man who rode a jet ski through flooded downtown Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, after heavy rains, has been booked by local police. It has also been reported that his companions, who filmed him, are under investigation.

According to local Thai media such as The Thaiger and MGR Online on the 28th (local time), Son Ketsiri rode a jet ski down the flooded New Petchaburi Road in Bangkok the previous day. A companion who was with him filmed the scene and posted it online, where it quickly spread.

In the captured video stills, Son—dressed in black at the time—can be seen racing through the city atop a white and green jet ski at high speeds. He performed stunts such as suddenly accelerating or making sharp turns, known as "drifting," sending up large waves that inconvenienced pedestrians and onsite workers nearby, though he seemed to find it amusing.

Local media reported that the waves generated by the jet ski damaged the fence of a house beside the road.

Cheering voices from companions behind the camera were also reportedly recorded in the footage. Son posted the video on his own Facebook account with the caption "B K K D R I F (Bangkok Drift)."

After the video was released, Son faced a flood of criticism from local internet users. Bangkok residents, who had suffered flood damage throughout the weekend, especially pointed out, "Instead of helping affected residents, he made things worse." As the controversy grew, both Son and the person who filmed the video voluntarily reported to the police. The police charged Son with causing a public disturbance and obstructing traffic, while the person behind the camera was booked for abetting Son's actions.

Meanwhile, Bangkok has been hit hard by heavy rains in recent days, resulting in severe flooding in many areas. According to reports from AP and other foreign media, more than 300 mm of cumulative rainfall has been recorded in Bangkok, with low-lying areas especially hard hit by flooding. As of the 27th, the city government had set up over 200 temporary shelters, and about 3,000 people are currently staying in them. Across Thailand, at least eight people have died due to the current floods, and more than 545,000 people in 25 provinces—excluding Bangkok—have been affected.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.