Sergeant Saeb Files Complaint After Chon Buri Bodycam Clash with Rayong Officer

When a routine patrol turned into a roadside showdown, the sleepy stretch of highway in Chon Buri suddenly felt like the opening scene of a police procedural — only this one came with bodycam footage and a very public dispute between two officers from different provinces.

On New Year’s Day, a traffic incident escalated into a clash of rank, rights and responsibility after a pickup truck from Rayong collided with a foreign motorist’s vehicle. The footage, shared by the officer involved in the investigation, identified him as Police Sergeant Saeb from Phanat Nikhom Police Station. The other man — wearing a white shirt stamped with the Royal Thai Police insignia and claiming to be a captain from Mueang Rayong Police Station — refused to follow basic post-crash protocol.

Here’s what the camera (and the reporting officer) captured: Sergeant Saeb arrived on scene to find the Rayong officer arguing loudly with the foreign driver at the left lane of the road. Saeb began the expected checks — asking both drivers for their licenses and documents. The foreign motorist complied immediately, producing valid identification and a legal driving licence. The Rayong officer, however, balked.

Instead of producing his paperwork, the Rayong officer reportedly insisted his rank exempted him from the routine, repeatedly asserting his police status and demanding the investigation target the foreign driver. He also alleged the foreign motorist was in Thailand illegally — an accusation that, according to Saeb’s check, proved false. Saeb verified the foreigner’s legal status and licence and concluded the foreign driver was not at fault in the collision.

What might have been a straightforward exchange turned combustible. As tempers flared, the Rayong officer raised his voice and demanded respect, invoking age and seniority. Saeb, meanwhile, maintained he had shown proper deference but was simply doing his duty. The dispute shifted from the crash itself to a power play: the Rayong officer asking for Saeb’s full name and allegedly threatening to use his influence and connections against him.

It’s an all-too-familiar script for anyone who watches viral bodycam clashes: rank meets accountability, and civilians end up shouldering the confusion. But there are a few details that cut through the drama. First, the foreign motorist cooperated fully and had legitimate documents. Second, the investigating officer reported the Rayong officer’s refusal to follow protocol and his subsequent conduct. Sergeant Saeb has filed an official complaint accusing the other officer of obstructing justice and insulting a fellow officer performing his duties.

As of the last update, authorities have not announced any disciplinary measures against the Rayong officer. That silence has left questions hanging in the air almost as loudly as the confrontation itself: How often do internal disputes like this go unaddressed? What happens when one officer uses rank as a shield against standard procedures? And perhaps most importantly, how soon can the public expect transparency on the follow-through?

Beyond the legalities, the episode is a reminder that even those sworn to enforce the law can sometimes act as if they’re above it. Whether it’s a misunderstanding that spiraled or a deliberate attempt to avoid accountability, the optics are bad: a uniformed officer refusing to show a licence after a crash undermines the principle that no one is above traffic laws, regardless of badge or belt.

Public reaction — as you might expect in the age of social media and bodycam virality — has been swift. Citizens and netizens alike tend to side with transparency, and footage that appears to show a senior officer refusing to cooperate rarely sits well with viewers. The clip shared by Sergeant Saeb has only amplified calls for a clear response from police leadership in Rayong and Chon Buri.

For now, the most concrete outcome is procedural: Saeb filed his report, and the foreign motorist’s documents were verified. The unresolved part — whether there will be disciplinary action, a formal inquiry or even an internal reprimand — remains up in the air. Police agencies would do well to move quickly, if only to restore public confidence and demonstrate that rules apply equally, regardless of rank.

Until then, this incident serves as a small but pointed case study in why routine police procedures exist — whether you’re on a quiet highway in Chon Buri or the boulevards of Bangkok. When everyone follows the same steps after an accident, the facts become clear and tempers have less room to turn into disputes. When they don’t, cameras and complaints pick up the slack.

It’s worth watching how the story develops: will the Rayong officer face consequences, or will the matter fade into departmental discretion? Either way, the clip released by Sergeant Saeb has already done something important — it reminded the public, in very sharp focus, that accountability often begins where the bodycam ends.