One viral photo with a misleading caption has become a national police issue resulting in a lawsuit and possible criminal penalties for the person who first shared it.

The baby-toting tourist family seen along a Bangkok highway wasn’t dumped there, nor did they ask a taxi driver to drop them there after landing at Suvarnabhumi, as previously suggested, but in fact chose to exit a van they’d boarded in Sa Kaeo province themselves, Royal Thai Police announced yesterday at a news conference.

Police located van driver Boonmee Rakdaeng, 52, and brought him to the conference to confirm the story. He said he was paid THB2,000 to drive 13 tourists from the Rong Kluea Market in Sa Kaeo province to Khaosan Road on March 16, but the family in question asked him to stop at the Asoke 4 Toll Plaza.

Boonmee thought they needed to use a toilet, so he stopped the vehicle. Instead, they picked up their stuff and left the van, claiming they wanted to go to Soi Sukhumvit 71.

Boonmee, who does not speak English, said he tried to tell them they couldn’t just exit onto the highway, but the communication fell short, Khaosod reported.

Since it was first shared last week with a caption suggesting the family was cruelly dumped by an inhuman taxi driver, the photo struck a nerve with image-conscious authorities concerned about with the appearance it created.

Prawut Thawornsiri, police spokesman, said he will track down the person who shared the photo on Facebook because it affected the image of the country. Meanwhile, it was announced driver Boonmee will file a lawsuit against, according to Bangkok Post.

“Posting online a photo with groundless accusations by someone who was not involved in the actual incident and did not really know what had happened can cause great damage to the country’s image,” Boonmee said.

The Facebook user who posted the photo could face charges under the Computer Crimes Act.

Related:

Taxi dumps tourist family on Bangkok highway

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