Knife-wielding Portuguese lady refuses to pay taxi in Phuket (video)

[webfact]

 

A Portuguese woman refused to pay a taxi fare and threatened the female driver with a knife at a hotel in the Rawai neighbourhood of Phuket on April 1.

 

The female taxi driver, 35 year old Ladda Saengthong, shared a video of the incident on several social media platforms to warn other taxi drivers in the area. In the video, the foreign woman grabbed a knife from a hotel pantry and approached the driver.

 

A Thai man, believed to be a hotel employee, was heard trying to stop the foreigner by calling her name, Nadiya. The woman was later identified as 31 year old Portuguese national, Nadiya Serivna Varshawa.

The conversation between Varshawa and Ladda was not clear in the video. Ladda, a woman in a red shirt, was seen stepping away from Varshawa and apologising to the foreign woman to protect herself from a knife attack.

Ladda reported to Khao Phuket that she picked up Varshawa at Phuket International Airport. Varshawa asked the driver to drop her at an accommodation in the Paklok district but she did not get out of the car when they arrived at their destination and asked the driver to take her to the Rawai area instead.

 

Ladda insisted that she told Varshawa that she would have to pay an extra 1,500 baht to go to Rawai, and Varshawa agreed. The foreign woman even promised to pay Ladda extra for smoking cannabis in her car.

 

During the journey, Varshawa asked Ladda to stop in the Patong area. Ladda again told the foreign woman that she would have to pay more for the stop and Varshawa agreed.

 

Mental illness blamed

 

In Patong, Varshawa got out of the car but asked the taxi driver to wait for her to return so he could continue the journey to a hotel in the Rawai area.

 

On arrival at the hotel, Ladda demanded payment for several stops but Varshawa refused to pay. After arguing for a while, Varshawa became angry and ran to the pantry to get the knife, as seen in the video.

 

Ladda said she reported the matter to officers at Chalong Police Station, and police later arrived at the hotel to take Varshawa to the police station. However, Varshawa managed to escape from the police station in another taxi.

 

Ladda pleaded with the police to swiftly administer justice and apprehend Varshawa, expressing concern that she may continue her actions with other taxi drivers in the province.

 

The taxi driver asserted that this was not the initial instance of Varshawa evading payment for a taxi ride. He recounted how Varshawa frequently feigned anger or mental instability to avoid settling the fare.

 

Police authorities confirmed Varshawa’s history of similar transgressions due to her mental illness. They are presently searching to locate her and have pledged to ensure she faces the consequences of her actions. However, uncertainty looms over Varshawa’s whereabouts, leaving investigators unsure if she remains in Thailand or has departed.

 

 

by Petch Petpailin

Photo via Phuket Times

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-04-03

 

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[bob smith]

These Phuket taxi drivers can't stand the taste of their own medicine!!

 

bob.

[freeworld]

Smoking cannabis in the car, is this actually allowed and does it make people more aggressive?

[zhounan]

Unfortunately drugs have ruined the brain of many young westerners.

[ChipButty]

16 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Smoking cannabis in the car, is this actually allowed and does it make people more aggressive?

They agreed to pay an extra 500 baht

[ChaiyaTH]

You would almost think they pay foreigners to make bad news with cannabis now since the PM his crazy statements to France.

[ChipButty]

On the Thai TV news they say she's Russian, 

[ChaiyaTH]

19 minutes ago, zhounan said:

Unfortunately drugs have ruined the brain of many young westerners.

You mean social media, which is a drugs? Yes that is correct. And it's not westerners, it's a global thing. They are socially underdeveloped.

[VinnieK]

If she's mentally ill, she's not going anywhere.

I bet she's broke too.

[2baht]

31 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Smoking cannabis in the car, is this actually allowed and does it make people more aggressive?

Why do you think Russia attacked Ukraine??? 

[Korat Kiwi]

Well you wouldn't want to piss this woman off.... there's certainly a cog missing upstairs and I don't think she would hesitate to use the knife. 

 

Absolute nut job. 

 

Padded cell time methinks 

[worgeordie]

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

Portuguese national, Nadiya Serivna Varshawa.

Name sounds more Russian to me , and her actions seem to confirm it..

 

regards Worgeordie

[Chetzee]

54 minutes ago, bob smith said:

These Phuket taxi drivers can't stand the taste of their own medicine!!

 

bob.

AN EXTRA 1500.  .... where was she going Hua Hin ?      1500 is pretty much a full tank of fuel ..... 

 

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, Chetzee said:

AN EXTRA 1500.  .... where was she going Hua Hin ?      1500 is pretty much a full tank of fuel ..... 

 

Thats what I was thinking, from Rawai to the airport with bolt is about 700 baht, normal taxis charge 1000 baht

[Photoguy21]

There is always an excuse. Mental problems, upset or just cant handle life. This will continue unless harsh penalties are put in place.

[bob smith]

13 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Name sounds more Russian to me , and her actions seem to confirm it..

for a second I thought she was Thai.

 

bob.

[John Drake]

Yet another European going aggressively haywire.

[bkk6060]

Maybe she was on her period. 

Result: not guilty!

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Portuguese woman refused to pay a taxi fare and threatened the female driver with a knife

Gender and nationality has no boundaries. 

 

Nutjobs from all over the world are visiting Thailand. 

 

[eisfeld]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Ladda insisted that she told Varshawa that she would have to pay an extra 1,500 baht to go to Rawai

 

Ah good to see taxi rip-offs are still going strong in Phuket. 1500 plus probably 500 to Pa Khlok is about double the normal price which is already way too high.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

Unfortunately drugs have ruined the brain of many young westerners.

Ahmen...

[fredwiggy]

1 hour ago, zhounan said:

Unfortunately drugs have ruined the brain of many young westerners.

Along with millions of non westerners.

[freeworld]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

Name sounds more Russian to me , and her actions seem to confirm it..

 

regards Worgeordie

Difficult to say.

 

A search of Nadiya indicates Ukranian https://www.behindthename.com/name/nadiya

 

The origin/meaning of other names Serivna Varshawa are not found.

[Denim]

Phuket , the hub of rip off locals and wack job foreigners. 

 

Blow up the bridge , cut the anchors and set it adrift into the ocean or tow it to Vladivostok.

[brianthainess]

The cops said she has a history of such transgressions due to her mental illness. Why has she not been banned from Thailand with "A History" of 'Transgressions? she needs to be in a phyc ward. Must be Russian as they are treated with kid gloves and loved by this government who supports the wanted warmongering dictating Criminal Pootin.. 

She agreed to the fare so pay it but to add that much is wrong, but not as wrong to go after someone with a knife, get this dangerous woman off the streets.

[Andrew65]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Thats what I was thinking, from Rawai to the airport with bolt is about 700 baht, normal taxis charge 1000 baht

Sounds a bit steep, I recently paid 500 Baht from lower Sukhumvit to Swampy, and that was with a big tip. 

[brianthainess]

How long was the journey? 

[watchcat]

1 hour ago, Korat Kiwi said:

Padded cell time methinks 

 

Why padded? Cement should be enough.

[Grumpy one]

1 hour ago, Korat Kiwi said:

Well you wouldn't want to piss this woman off.... there's certainly a cog missing upstairs and I don't think she would hesitate to use the knife. 

 

Absolute nut job. 

 

Padded cell time methinks 

Send her back to Mother Russia, she can help defend against Ukraine 

[swerve]

This big baby's holiday is soon over.