A 39-year-old artist has been arrested at Chiang Mai Airport while attempting to leave for Taiwan for allegedly vandalising traffic signs. Scepticism has arisen since the arrest warrant was issued four years ago.

Peungboon Jaiyen, a 39-year-old tattoo artist, was apprehended on 29 September at Chiang Mai Airport by an immigration officer as he was about to depart for Taiwan to take up a 3-month scholarship for an Artist Residency programme, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

He was reportedly charged with vandalism for allegedly writing a message on a traffic sign near Bhubing Rajanives Police Station in Chiang Mai. The arrest warrant was found to have been issued on 3 March 2021.

No lawyer was present during his arrest. He was promptly taken to Bhubbing Rajanives Police Station.

According to the police report, a person believed to be Peungboon used a chemical pen to write on traffic signs in four locations along Chiang Mai’s Huay Kaew Road on 3 and 16 May 2020.  Among all the messages he wrote, only one was disclosed: “Prathet Thuay” {ประเทศทวย}, which means “Our country,” since “thuay” means “group.”

Puengboon denied the allegation. He was later granted bail with 50,000 baht as security and is required to report every 15 days.

Peungboon had faced a similar charge in 2020 under the jurisdiction of Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station. That case went to the Supreme Court, where he was found guilty and given a suspended sentence.

He has never fled or posed a flight risk. From 2021-2025 after the initial arrest warrant was issued, he regularly reported to the police and the court as required. However, he was never informed about this second arrest warrant.

Most recently, on 9 December 2024, he reported to Bhubbing Rajanives Police Station to acknowledge a separate charge related to contempt of the Constitutional Court. At that time, the police did not inform him of the outstanding warrant related to the traffic sign case.

Given that police failed to execute the arrest warrant for four years and allowed the case to remain in the system unresolved, Peungboon has now been deprived of the opportunity to pursue his scholarship abroad, affecting his career.