Tuk-tuk taxi driver shot in Songkhla over professional rivalry

[webfact]

Tuk-tuk taxi driver shot in Songkhla over professional rivalry

By THE NATION

 

 

A tuk-tuk driver is in a critical condition after being shot nine times in Songkhla province.

 

Hat Yai Police Station were alerted to a shooting incident at a taxi stand near Hat Yai train station in Songkhla at 3pm on Sunday (September 13).

 

At the scene, they found Sao Phuangthong, 40, a tuk-tuk taxi driver, lying on the ground with nine gunshot wounds in the chest and back. He was rushed to Hat Yai Hospital where rescue staff said his condition was critical.

 

Police have arrested the alleged shooter, Chaowalit Phuthaksin, 40, who is also a tuk-tuk taxi driver, reportedly with a .38 handgun and a brass knuckle at the scene. A relative of Sao, who had witnessed the incident, told officials that the two had a history of getting into arguments which sometimes escalated into fist fights, mainly over who gets customers.

 

 

“Before the incident, Sao was calling passengers who had just got off the train to use his tuk-tuk service, when Chaowalit walked from behind and shot him repeatedly, reloaded the gun, and then shot some more until he went down,” she said.

 

Chaowalit was brought to Hat Yai station where he reportedly confessed that he had shot Sao because he was angry about Sao snatching his customers. He reportedly waited at the scene to turn himself in. Police are interviewing witnesses and are awaiting a report on the victim’s condition before pressing charges against Chaowalit.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394482

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-14

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[PatOngo]

For 60 - 80 baht??? Surely no more than a hundred baht! Fragile!

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Police have arrested the alleged shooter, Chaowalit Phuthaksin, 40, who is also a tuk-tuk taxi driver, reportedly with a .38 handgun and a brass knuckle at the scene.

A clown with a gun. Shot a person nine times, and he is still not dead. Wonder if the police asked him if the reason for not using the brass knuckle was that he was at risk of hitting himself?

 

However, hope the guy survives.

[Grumpy one]

9 hits and still alive, Sao must have a few strong amulets around his neck

[webfact]

Video: Tuk-tuk driver empties gun into rival driver then reloads and shots him some more

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Thailand is at the center of yet more horrific gun violence concerning taking passengers at public vehicle ranks.

 

Following last week's shooting outside Big C in Bang Plee near Bangkok when motorcycle taxi mafia took potshots, at the weekend a tuk -tuk driver in Hat Yai was left barely clinging to life.

 

CCTV footage showed a driver who is now in custody fell a rival from another rank with a shot from a .38 gun. 

 

He then emptied his gun into his helpless victim on the ground. 

 

Not content with this he went back to his tuk-tuk, reloaded and shot him several times more. 

 

Police found Sao, 40, shot nine times in the back and chest lying in a pool of blood. 

 

He was still alive but barely so and was rushed to hospital. 

 

The incident happened at a rank outside the main Hat Yai junction railway station. 

 

Chaowalit, 40, was soon in custody along with his weapon, empty cartridges, other attachments and a knuckle duster.

 

He said that he and the man he shot had been having long standing trouble with each other about taking passengers. 

 

They both worked at rival ranks near the station. 

 

Things escalated a couple of days before and Chaowalit said he bought a gun for self-protection.

 

They had had an altercation and after Sao went off with a passenger and came back the shooting started. 

 

He made no attempt to flee and was waiting for police when they arrived, he said. 

 

Sources: Daily News | Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-09-14

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

WARNING: Content may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised!

 

[colinneil]

That silly person in the white shirt, going over to the shooter like that, damn lucky the shooter didnt turn the gun on them.

[trainman34014]

Welcome to Thailand....Hub of Nutters !

[JoePai]

9 times with a 38 and he was still alive !

[worgeordie]

Very professional........if only they could stop and think for just a few seconds

If I do this ,what will the consequences  be,is it worth it !

regards Worgeordie

[AbeNormal]

psychopath

 

Tourists are rushing back to Thailand after that

[Crusader]

Times may be hard, and perhaps we don't know the whole story - but that is insanity. 

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Tuk-tuk driver empties gun into rival driver then reloads and shots him some more

Police said that the driver did not tarnish Thailand's tourism image, since there are no tourists anymore.

[Paul Henry]

Pistol was probably bought from a police officer who had no use for it after the Government gave out all the new automatic 9mm and left replaced firearms in the hands of the owners to do with as they wished. Great crime prevention and firearms control.

[Cereal]

Wow! 9 slugs and dude's still kicking. That's amazingly poor marksmanship.

[tracker1]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Very professional........if only they could stop and think for just a few seconds

If I do this ,what will the consequences  be,is it worth it !

regards Worgeordie

If you see what happens with prisoners and along with the annual royal pardons they need no thought just be behaved inside and your likely to get a second chance on the outside ! One way to fix this the Death Penalty

[Tarteso]

Yes, for security, better close the borders another 6 months for turists.

[car720]

Obviously never heard of double tap and coup de grace.

[jvs]

He bought the gun for self defense?Looks to me it was pre meditated,and he still kicked him after he was down.

Crazy Thailand!

[TKDfella]

Notice the people around the chap that got shot? I suppose they thought it wasn't worth it as he was likely dead after all that. The compassion is overwhelming.

[Enoon]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

That silly person in the white shirt, going over to the shooter like that, damn lucky the shooter didnt turn the gun on them.

 

I'm guessing he also had a gun, and affected a "citizens arrest" with it.

 

Looking at the way he approached from the car park, using the vehicle as cover, checked, prepared, and then charged......he may have been a proper policeman or experienced military.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by Enoon

[sammieuk1]

Looks like a cullender arrived at the hospital waste this shooter on the spot and end the feud forever ????

[Megasin1]

it's sad that as people vie for an ever decreasing custom base that the way to settle it seems to be "I know, if I shoot my rival all the business will be mine!" which is a little strange unless your Tuk Tuk business is based on running fellow prisoners around and around the exercise yard, or perhaps this is in fact a glimmer of the new way to exercise and he should feel very comfortable as he can believe that all of his new customers will be speaking English very soon in all the Thai prisons. His only setback may be the tips won't be as good but at least he will be able to say honestly "The Golden Buddha Temple is closed today sir (to you anyway) !!!

[pacovl46]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

That silly person in the white shirt, going over to the shooter like that, damn lucky the shooter didnt turn the gun on them.

If you watch the video in slow motion on YouTube that “silly” person seems to be armed, fire two warning shoots once he arrives at the tuk tuk and then makes the shooter get out of the tuk tuk and lay down on the ground. Looks very much like he’s an off duty or undercover cop.

[xtrnuno41]

Well happens everywhere, now there are youngsters buying knifes to cut up people just like that.

How many people last incident ? 7? 

[colinneil]

Just now, pacovl46 said:

If you watch the video in slow motion on YouTube that “silly” person seems to be armed, fire two warning shoots once he arrives at the tuk tuk and then makes the shooter get out of the tuk tuk and lay down on the ground. Looks very much like he’s an off duty or undercover cop.

Armed or not it was crazy going over like he did, after seeing what the nutter was doing.

[pacovl46]

2 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Armed or not it was crazy going over like he did, after seeing what the nutter was doing.

Not really! He followed standard procedure by approaching from the back at an angle where the culprit was most likely not able to see him and the guy was busy talking to his wife anyway. He did the right thing! 

[RichardColeman]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He made no attempt to flee and was waiting for police when they arrived, he said. 

I can understand doubters of the death penalty where there may be an issue of guilt. But I think it safe to say this guy is guilty and deserves a bullet to the head

[Dap]

3 hours ago, Paul Henry said:

Pistol was probably bought from a police officer who had no use for it after the Government gave out all the new automatic 9mm and left replaced firearms in the hands of the owners to do with as they wished. Great crime prevention and firearms control.

A great many revolvers have entered the public realm in exactly that manner.

[JulesMad]

7 hours ago, colinneil said:

That silly person in the white shirt, going over to the shooter like that, damn lucky the shooter didnt turn the gun on them.

No, no, you don't understand... He was wearing a helmet, so he was invincible ????

[kidneyw]

What customers?