Taxi driver arrested for stealing from two abandoned British tourists

[webfact]

Taxi driver arrested for stealing from two abandoned British tourists

By The Nation

 

Image source: Facebook docterkv3

 

A taxi driver has been arrested for leaving two British tourists in Nakhon Pathom and fleeing with their cash and credit cards after they chartered his taxi for a trip to a floating market in Ratchaburi.

 

Tourist Police deputy commissioner Pol Maj-General Surachet Hakpal held a press conference on Tuesday to announce the arrest of Sanya Ngamsima, 59, a resident of Bangkok's Jomthong district.

 

He was arrested on Monday, a day after he left two British women at an NGV station in Nakhon Pathom.

 

Surachet said Sanya had been hired by Lucida Emma Moore and April Berton-Burgur to take them from Khao San Road in Bangkok to visit the Damnone Saduak floating market in Ratchaburi on Sunday.

 

During the trip back to Bangkok, the taxi driver stopped at an NGV station and the two tourists were asked to wait outside the vehicle. But after Sanya filled the tank, he sped off, leaving the two tourists behind.

 

The women's bags with Bt6,000 in cash, more than US$200 (Bt6,730) in US dollars, four credit cards and both their passports were in the taxi.

The two tourists were later assisted by a Nakhon Pathom police patrol.

 

Surachet said they were helped by police to return to their rooms on Khao San Road and left Thailand on Monday.

 

Surachet said the taxi driver was charged with robbery, failing to use his meter and failing to deliver passengers to their destination.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30336945

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-23

[colinneil]

You couldnt make this up, yesterday honest taxi driver handing over money, today we get the normal dishonest taxi story.

[robblok]

16 minutes ago, colinneil said:

You couldnt make this up, yesterday honest taxi driver handing over money, today we get the normal dishonest taxi story.

I think like in all occupations you got bad and good people... Personally I dislike some  taxi drivers because often they don't want to take you to where you want to go or not open the meter. Though I met quite a few good ones that work in my area.

[TConthePC]

Probably get a bigger punishment for not using his meter rather than the robbery. Sad.

[akirasan]

And then the driver later returned a Chinese businessman's wallet with 10 million baht in it.  

[Hooliganzone]

Another thumbs up for British feelings towards tourism in Thailand ???

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The article doesn't seem to say if the two women got some or all of their money back. No mention at all on that point. Wonder if the taxi guy had pissed it all away by the time he got caught.

 

[Bob12345]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The two tourists were later assisted by a Nakhon Pathom police patrol

They should buy some lottery tickets cause what are the odds you find the only police patrol in the whole of Thailand at that moment?

[dotpoom]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

You couldnt make this up, yesterday honest taxi driver handing over money, today we get the normal dishonest taxi story.

You never knew there are "good guys"  in this world and "guys who are not good "?

[RichardColeman]

Wonder how much the bribe is to keep his taxi licence ? 

[crazykopite]

There is always one bad apple in the basket looks like these two girls were unlucky enough to have chosen the bad one as most taxi drivers are very polite and courteous 

[salavan]

Always keep your money and valuables with you 

[scorecard]

26 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Wonder how much the bribe is to keep his taxi licence ? 

 

Naah, 500Baht, all done.

[bander]

1 hour ago, Hooliganzone said:

Another thumbs up for British feelings towards tourism in Thailand ???

Another nail in Thailands coffin as tourist destination.

[farcanell]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

You couldnt make this up, yesterday honest taxi driver handing over money, today we get the normal dishonest taxi story.

It’s usually the other way around though.... in which case manager online can start writing a new article about a good cabby for tomorrow’s edition ?

 

 

[cardinalblue]

My passport nor large sums of money never leave my body....I have been here 18 years...

 

to have your valuables in a bag or purse on the road and then separate yourself from them is unimaginable....

 

basic travel 101....

[drtreelove]

2 hours ago, crazykopite said:

most taxi drivers are very polite and courteous 

I agree. I have had mostly good experiences with Thai taxi drivers over many years; 

 

I see the news, and I hear others bitch and moan, but it's not my experience. I must be doing something right. 

 

Also, I drive 3 to 4 hours every day in Samut Prakan and Bangkok, drove almost every day in Chiang Mai for 9 years, and rarely see an accident.   I think most Thai drivers are excellent. aware and adaptive and forgiving. You just have to know the rules of the road here and anticipate local driving habits.  Many drivers are pushy and selfish, but I've come to terms with that and just let them go by if they are in such a big hurry. Most yield if you insist by being pushy yourself and don't hold it against you, its just the way people drive. White lines are not regarded as fixed lane markers, just guidelines; crossing the lines and sudden lane changes should be expected. 

 

Only one accident, hit from behind when I stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Its an automatic reaction where I come from, courtesy for pedestrians and an expensive citation. But my bad was that I should have known the driver behind me would not expect me to stop. 

 

I love it that there are no highway patrol cars on my ass and no radar stops.  I can fly on 3256 King Kaew and the 34 Bang Na late at night when they are empty. Breathalyzer stops, no problem, I don't drink or drug and drive. 

[wvavin]

Pleading drunk so it is the usual 500 baht fine. You don't expect any substantial punishment in the Walt Disney Law.

[shackleton]

As mentioned nothing said about them getting their credit cards passports back ect 

on about a nail in the coffin for British tourists coming toThailand

i don't think it will make any difference people look at Thailand as a cheap 

destination sun and beach and if you are a guy other things  besides booze

[falangjim]

4 hours ago, salavan said:

Always keep your money and valuables with you 

Blame the victims? Should I get my luggage out of the trunk while I take a leak? 

[Henrik Andersen]

I don't get it 

British with us dollar 

200 us dollar is not 6730 baht

Or maybe I just read it wrong 555

[AdamTheFarang]

Although these ladies look calm for young ladies to be the other side of the world with no money, no ID must have been very frightening. How did they even make a phone call if they only had UK numbers this might have cost them a fortune. How would they know the numbers to dial, how would they get to the Police station.What goes through these taxi driver's head? You don't hear stories like that in the UK. I lived in Thailand for many years and Thais are calmer than Brits and don't misunderstand me some tourists verbally are so rude and patronising to Thais but at least he could have put their handbags on the road. You don't leave woman alone (yes I know there was 2) but you know what I mean and especially if you are in a position of trust like a taxi driver.

[fuzzie]

Asked my freind to pick up my laptop from the police in Bangkok He did got into taxi and part of the journey back taxi stopped for fuel friend went to get a drink taxi drove off...Got to be catching

[Bkk2061]

11 hours ago, robblok said:

I think like in all occupations you got bad and good people... Personally I dislike some  taxi drivers because often they don't want to take you to where you want to go or not open the meter. Though I met quite a few good ones that work in my area.

I only use uber or grab 

The bad drivers get weeded out with with enough negative reviews.... 

Everyone should use it and get the useless ones back in the rice fields or the prisons they came from.... 

[Bkk2061]

2 hours ago, Henrik Andersen said:

I don't get it 

British with us dollar 

200 us dollar is not 6730 baht

Or maybe I just read it wrong 555

It's generally advised to bring usd to South East Asia  so perfectly normal they were carrying it

[Kiwisailor]

7 hours ago, crazykopite said:

There is always one bad apple in the basket looks like these two girls were unlucky enough to have chosen the bad one as most taxi drivers are very polite and courteous 

Good luck finding one like that (very polite and courteous ) on Khao San Rd

[Bkk2061]

Just now, Kiwisailor said:

Good luck finding one like that (very polite and courteous ) on Khao San Rd

Walk for 10 min in any direction and Hail a moving cab.... 

All the ones waiting in the line  are greedy vultures and they also kickback money to the cops so they can park there and molest tourists with extortionate prices but this is taking things  to a new level... 

 

 

[zoza]

6 minutes ago, Bkk2061 said:

Walk for 10 min in any direction and Hail a moving cab.... 

All the ones waiting in the line  are greedy vultures and they also kickback money to the cops so they can park there and molest tourists with extortionate prices but this is taking things  to a new level... 

 

 

on one of our visits to Bangkok we stood outside the MOFA for an hour flagging cabs down none would use the meter bar one foaming from the mouth Yabba head

we did eventually get a taxi (we had to agree to a price )but  good drivers seem few and far between and that is what we have  experienced for 18 years, if I find a good taxi driver I keep his/her number and only use them..but their shelf life is two years max before they burn out??? it must be the long hours and traffic ?    

[Bkk2061]

1 minute ago, zoza said:

on one of our visits to Bangkok we stood outside the MOFA for an hour flagging cabs down none would use the meter bar one foaming from the mouth Yabba head

we did eventually get a taxi (we had to agree to a price )but  good drivers seem few and far between and that is what we have  experienced for 18 years, if I find a good taxi driver I keep his/her number and only use them..but their shelf life is two years max before they burn out??? it must be the long hours and traffic ?    

I only use grab and uber 

 

They do have some lunatics but you keep rating them on the app and after enough 1star reviews they weed out the undesirable drivers ... 

 

Much less likely to get a raging methhead because their identity and car is registered along with their bank account and i only pay by credit card so they cant give me the "no change" bullshit

 

The price is pre determined by the app as well so they have no incentive to take the scenic route because there is no meter to run up... 

 

No wonder taxi drivers hate it lol

[Chris Renaix]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

The women's bags with Bt6,000 in cash, more than US$200 (Bt6,730) in US dollars, four credit cards and both their passports were in the taxi.

So how could they leave Thailand on Monday as they didn't have their passports?