Mini bus driver caught on viral video threatening to hit foreigner with iron bar in Phuket

[wazzupnow]

why even publice this it happens all day long and this is just a small iron bar

i once have  been run off the road by a big truck 

after i confronted the driver at the next gasstation he waved at me with a machete

sorry no You tubers around to film this

all (professional 555) drivers in Thailand are armed with bad attitude and hardware this is common knowledge 

small stature + big car = big ego you must beware of this if you want to survive a visit to LOS

[NorthernRyland]

16 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Nary a week goes by that I don't see someone hitting, or going after another, usually smaller person with a stick, club, rod, bar, piece of wood or machete

Thai's are often defending themselves against dogs with sticks also. They have no control over their soi's or emotions it seems.

[NorthernRyland]

What's the ethnic angle there? They always report the nationality of the foreigners but this time I see a dark skinned person is involved and no mention of it.

 

I've always heard Thai's and Indians don't get along too well so maybe we're starting to see this play out as they appear in larger numbers as tourists.

[peter zwart]

They really do know how to welcome tourist. " Hope you had a nice ride and that you will use our service again"

[cncltd1973]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I can see the way some of these guys drive (also often Taxi drivers / Songthaew drivers) that they must be on something... they are so very very unhinged and 'edgy' just waiting to be trigged by the slightest of slights....

 

Driving the public around is a crappy job, I'm sure they have to deal with so many ayholes, howerver, it seems these drivers go from nothing to ready to kill in milliseconds. 

 

purple pee for sure, yaba is their daily vitamin 

[jacko45k]

Welcome to Thailand!

[Bim Smith]

I find this story hard to believe. Iron bar or not it proves that the driver isn't Thai as he was on his own with no back up gang. Must be a foreigner working illegally ????

[Bangkok Barry]

9 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

No wonder the industry is vying for first-timers rather than trying to welcome tourists back.

I'd love to know how many return visitors Phuket gets. I always tell potential visitors to avoid the place at all costs. I'm amazed, with the reports on social and mainstream media, that anyone goes there.

[Hanuman2547]

That's one reason why I don't go to Phuket.  The airport taxi mafia is bad enough.  A lot of other beaches with a lot less problems.

[Bangkok Barry]

9 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Of course he was, and in some other countries he would have had to explain himself to the police, lose his job, or both. And such an incident is neither the first, nor will it be the last...

Read the link.

 

[stix40]

That's Nice

Welcome !

[Expat68]

12 hours ago, bogs smith said:

an island of thugs.

 

nothing changes.

I heard this from a husband of a relative of my wife

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Are the police even going to bother 'trace this guy (driver) or are they going to do what they usually do and ask him to turn himself in at the station so he can explain it was all a misunderstanding and it was only long piece of paper (poster) he was waving around !!!... 

Read the link.

[Hanuman2547]

6 minutes ago, Bim Smith said:

I find this story hard to believe. Iron bar or not it proves that the driver isn't Thai as he was on his own with no back up gang. Must be a foreigner working illegally ????

Read the article.  The driver clearly has a Thai name.  

[dallen52]

So nothing much has changed...

Wonder if he loses his licence?

 

Didn't think so...

[1happykamper]

I really enjoy Thailands serene atmospheric. Such calm and caring people. I'm sure Buddhism has taught them well. Those monks too, such peaceful men. 

TIT 

[sammieuk1]

And a very warm welcome on the mysterious island of misunderstandings enjoy your bar ???? 

[Bangkok Barry]

55 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

The propensity to pick up an object to hit someone with is ingrained in these people from childhood. Nary a week goes by that I don't see someone hitting, or going after another, usually smaller person with a stick, club, rod, bar, piece of wood or machete. Just yesterday, taking my child to the local village clinic, saw the nurse continuously hitting a (her?) child with a stick, for doing nothing than being a child complaining about something or other. Same place awhile back, was waiting for the doctor to see my child, sitting with the other parents (grandparents), and saw a mom holding a stick, and hitting her child whenever the child tried to wander a few yards away. Quite a few times I've seen this, moms walking around with their kids, holding a stick. In America this is abuse. Anywhere, it's a cowardly act. You can use your open hand to smack a child on the butt if they misbehave. Daily, you see others going after people one against four or five, hitting, kicking, hitting with sticks, or one running after another with a machete, on TV. Pretty sad, cowardly thing to teach your kids.

Don't you just love Thai culture. My theory is that it's because every Thai from a very young age is taught their place on the social ladder, and everyone is looked down upon by someone. Frustration and resentment builds and builds, and suddenly they 'do a Popeye' - That's all I can takes, I can't takes no more - and they reach for the can of spinach. Or, in Thailand, the nearest gun or machete or stick or iron bar.

 

 

There is so often little or no moderation in their behaviour. Which can make them a very, very dangerous people to upset. Don't. Ever. The consequences could be extreme and disastrous. Add in the fact that the most violent crime is often committed by the least intelligent and the fact that, according to Google, the overall IQ of Thais is way down there at 88%..... Those who are the most violent are usually those who are the most stupid, as they know no other way to express themselves.

[Elkski]

I would wager that 99% of all taxis, and mini bus drivers have a weapon like this or more

[LivinLOS]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Haad Yai River Tour

did they even look at the video before writing this ?? 

[LivinLOS]

12 hours ago, bogs smith said:

what are u on about had yai. it says Phuket in the title!

did you read the article or just the headline !! 

[DonniePeverley]

Why is it so difficult for Thailand to sort of the issue the country has with Taxis and tourism? It's such an awful presentation to the world. 

[LivinLOS]

Just now, DonniePeverley said:

Why is it so difficult for Thailand to sort of the issue the country has with Taxis and tourism? It's such an awful presentation to the world. 

Back around 2010 there was an interview with Prab Keesin who was boasting that there were >600 registered tuktuks in patong alone. 

Each tuktuk was paying 10,000 a month to be in that syndicate.. 

Thats 6 million baht a month to pay out to maintain thier monopoly.. Each police chief has to pay a fortune to get allocated to Phuket and Patong is the crown jewel in kickbacks.. Bars, clubs, hotels, everyone is paying big sums in.. Its millions of dollars a month. 

Fairly simple why they dont want it fixed isnt it. 

[DonniePeverley]

5 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

Back around 2010 there was an interview with Prab Keesin who was boasting that there were >600 registered tuktuks in patong alone. 

Each tuktuk was paying 10,000 a month to be in that syndicate.. 

Thats 6 million baht a month to pay out to maintain thier monopoly.. Each police chief has to pay a fortune to get allocated to Phuket and Patong is the crown jewel in kickbacks.. Bars, clubs, hotels, everyone is paying big sums in.. Its millions of dollars a month. 

Fairly simple why they dont want it fixed isnt it. 

 

If you want to make payments from tourists - surely monies could be raised without the rip off illegality stance ? 

 

The knock back effect to the countries reputation is it is seem as constant rip offy. 

 

[metisdead]

Some posts with derogatory trolling comments have been removed.

[IamNoone88]

It was so pleasant during covid; not a minivan, tuk tuk or taxi driver in sight. Drivimg was much safer. There are no words for how aggressively they act and drive. They simply dont care .. and its the majority of them not just a few.

[Rhys]

Sad.... what was the issue the drive had with the man?  I hope they find him and fine him 100 baht...

 

[phetphet]

I went to Phuket for the weekend a month or so ago.

Having previously read about all the scams with the minibuses, taxi mafia etc., I decided not to bother using any taxis or buses and went online a rented a car instead. Was met at the airport by a polite gentleman with the car.

Much more convenient and probably much much cheaper.

[herfiehandbag]

9 hours ago, roo860 said:

Just a misunderstanding. Didn't mean to threaten the passenger with an iron bar, which mistakenly happened to be in the minibus, someone must have left it there 

Fortunately he had it to hand when he went to assist the customer!

[KhunLA]

10 hours ago, stevenl said:

Very relevant if you look at the post I replied to.

Maybe he got a good price on a van, from company that went belly up and didn't repaint before selling.

 

Can't imagine anyone going to/from Phuket for a Hat Yai River tour.  Van, taxi drivers on Phuket, definitely rank up there as the worst.

 

It's been out of control for so long.  Their violence against any competition is well known, and 1000 baht fines aren't working.

 

Sadly so many of these drivers tarnish the good ones.  My issue with all the transport drivers, besides they reckless driving, they take up all the minimal parking that is available.  Lines of taxis taking up all the parking.

 

Because of that, we rarely left the resort last month to go along the beaches.  Which was fine, though did miss visiting a couple ol' favorite restaurants.  But found a couple new.

 

Kind of kills the self drive domestic tourist market, not that they care, as stated, it does seem they want the ignorant novice tourist and no interest in repeat customers.