In a distressing incident at Phuket, three motorcycle taxi drivers were captured on video brutally beating a tourist until he lost consciousness. The attack occurred in the early hours around 3 a.m. outside Central Patong, a popular shopping area.

 

The violent episode was documented in a 20-second clip shared by Phuket Information Center, stirring outrage and concern among locals and visitors alike.

 

The footage clearly shows three individuals, identified as local motorcycle taxi drivers, aggressively attacking a male tourist. Kicks and punches were dealt, rendering the tourist unconscious by the roadside. The situation momentarily de-escalated when another male tourist attempted to intervene, only for the attackers to walk away when a female tourist also approached the scene to assist the injured man.

 

Social media users have expressed vehement criticism towards the attackers, highlighting fears about safety, the potential impact on the tourism industry, and the apparent disregard for law and public image during a critical time for Phuket's recovery amidst COVID-19. Many are calling for immediate action to address the worsening perception of safety in the popular tourist destination.

 

 

The incident raises significant concerns about the enforcement of regulations governing motorcycle taxi operations and the measures in place to ensure tourist safety. Urgent calls for a thorough investigation and suitable disciplinary actions against the perpetrators are dominating discussions, as both locals and tourists demand reassurances that such violence won't be tolerated.

 

This event not only spotlights the need for stricter oversight of informal transport services but also puts pressure on local authorities to restore confidence in Phuket's tourism sector, ensuring such brutal assaults don't recur and tarnish the island's reputation further.

 

Picture courtesy: AMARIN TV

 

-- 2024-07-15

 

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Wonder what the tourist did/said to inspire such of an event.

26 minutes ago, novacova said:

Wonder what the tourist did/said to inspire such of an event.

There is no excuse for pack violence or even individual attacks.

15 minutes ago, dyertribe said:

There is no excuse for pack violence or even individual attacks.

There’s no excuse for tourists testing locals especially not knowing the language, no telling what will transpire. 

6 minutes ago, bob smith said:

....cue the victim blaming.

 

bob.

As highlighted by OMF… [If people get beaten up, there is normally a reason for that]…

 

Not condoning the pack violence or any violence at all - but the victim may be responsible for ‘triggering a conflict which the moto-thugs escalated.

 

Very little happens when people keep their mouth shut & behave. 

 

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

Very little happens when people keep their mouth shut & behave. 

In Phuket things are different.

 

It's a very dangerous place and just looking at someone the wrong way can result in physical violence.

 

It's no place to go for a holiday.

 

bob.

52 minutes ago, novacova said:

Wonder what the tourist did/said to inspire such of an event.

probably nothing.

 

bob.

Phuket is the place to be .... not

3 minutes ago, bob smith said:

probably nothing.

 

bob.

The guy just randomly attacked a tourist for absolutely no reason at all, yeah okay whatever.

2 minutes ago, novacova said:

The guy just randomly attacked a tourist for absolutely no reason at all, yeah okay whatever.

happens all the time

 

bob.

1 hour ago, novacova said:

Wonder what the tourist did/said to inspire such of an event.

"Inspire" it?  Hardly.

27 minutes ago, novacova said:

There’s no excuse for tourists testing locals

how did this victim of gang violence 'test' the locals exactly?

 

give me chapter and verse.

 

bob.

1 minute ago, novacova said:

Explain your accusations relating to this thread. Because it absolutely makes no sense 

 

Some strange story with regard to it being okay for 'Win' to beat someone unconscious because a prostitute claimed that her 'john' didn't pay. 

Sounds like a 'pimp' talking.

I also have seen it the other way around, where the girls scam their customers and then make a big noise in the street to embarrass them and attract the attention of the locals in order to intimidate. Then jump on to the nearest Win rider and off she goes.

Saw it happen to an Indian man outside a 7-11. He was saying " but you didn't provide me any service". She obviously tricked him into handing her some money to go into the 7-11 and was waiting outside for his change. She came out and short changed him. When he asked about the rest, that's when she started screaming.

So what if such a person got beaten unconscious due to a scamming whore? Okay with @OneMoreFarang?

1 minute ago, bob smith said:

let's flip that shall we..

 

what about the motorbikes driving on the sidewalks as they always do?

 

should the pedestrians just accept it because TIT??

 

bob.

How about folks just mind their own business and avoid mischief by staying out of other people’s way. Of course there’s no excuse for any of it. But there’s always a reaction to every action.  

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The footage clearly shows three individuals, identified as local motorcycle taxi drivers, aggressively attacking a male tourist. Kicks and punches were dealt, rendering the tourist unconscious by the roadside.

 

Three aginst one, couldn't they found a couple of more guys to help them out, they could have binroken a couple of fingernails in the mayhem.

Just now, novacova said:

How about folks just mind their own business and avoid mischief by staying out of other people’s way. Of course there’s no excuse for any of it. But there’s always a reaction to every action.  

Taxi drivers in Phuket are mindless thugs.

 

I have witnessed many such acts of violence aimed at tourists down there and most of it was without provocation.

 

now go on, tell me I'm lying..

 

bob.

20 minutes ago, bob smith said:

22 minutes ago, novacova said:

The guy just randomly attacked a tourist for absolutely no reason at all, yeah okay whatever.

happens all the time

All the time?  A couple of times over several years would be more accurate.

3 minutes ago, novacova said:

How about folks just mind their own business and avoid mischief by staying out of other people’s way

are you literally talking about pedestrians walking on a sidewalk being in the way of moto taxi drivers?

 

please tell me that's not what you meant....

 

bob.

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

All the time?  A couple of times over several years would be more accurate.

I see it quite regularly and I ALWAYS help tourists on the street when I see they are about to be scammed or taken advantage of in some way.

 

bob.

4 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Taxi drivers in Phuket are mindless thugs.

 

I have witnessed many such acts of violence aimed at tourists down there and most of it was without provocation.

 

now go on, tell me I'm lying..

 

bob.

Yeah sure, I wouldn’t argue with that. But some folks who aren’t street-smart really shouldn’t be getting into it with strangers.

1 minute ago, bob smith said:

Taxi drivers in Phuket are mindless thugs.

 

I have witnessed many such acts of violence aimed at tourists down there and most of it was without provocation.

 

now go on, tell me I'm lying..

 

bob.

 

Moto-Taxi guys throughout Thailand, particularly in area's of high tourist footfall have a reputation for being mindless-thugs - they appear to have a very sensitive tigger point, as if they are just waiting for something to give the a 'trigger'... 

 

But... I don't think police tourists (or polite anyone) gets set upon by these guys without some form of 'trigger point' - they don't just look at a person an start beating them up, there is always 'something' which sets them off...

 

... In tourist area's usually its a drunk foreigner who's used some colourful language.

 

So yes, bob... I would tell you are lying, or at the very least exaggerating.... People do not get beaten up out of the blue for no reason whatsoever (in all but the rarest of circumstances)...

... but your idea of 'no provocation' may be different to mine'..

i.e....  A tourist responds to a high fare quite with "F%$K you, I'm not paying that"... (gets a kick in the head) - I'm wondering if you think thats 'without' provocation....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I have witnessed many such acts of violence aimed at tourists down there and most of it was without provocation.

 

now go on, tell me I'm lying..

"...most of it was without provocation".

Without specifics, and evidence, clearly there's a 100% chance that you are lying.

8 minutes ago, NowNow said:

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

All the time?  A couple of times over several years would be more accurate.

 

Wrong

Really?   Got something empirical to back up that assertion?

14 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

All the time?  A couple of times over several years would be more accurate.

 

I think its perhaps more often than we read in the news...  certainly more than a couple of times over several years...

I'd suggest the frequency of Moto-taxi riders (win riders) resorting to violence is a couple of times per-month, quite possibly more...  we just don't get to hear about it in the media because its the norm... 

... The difference with this 'event' is that it was caught on camera.

 

Those of us who've been here a long time know not to react to anything these moto-guys do or say because we know how very easily they are triggered and quickly escalate to violence....

 

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Moto-Taxi guys throughout Thailand, particularly in area's of high tourist footfall have a reputation for being mindless-thugs - they appear to have a very sensitive tigger point, as if they are just waiting for something to give the a 'trigger'... 

 

But... I don't think police tourists (or polite anyone) gets set upon by these guys without some form of 'trigger point' - they don't just look at a person an start beating them up, there is always 'something' which sets them off...

 

... In tourist area's usually its a drunk foreigner who's used some colourful language.

 

So yes, bob... I would tell you are lying, or at the very least exaggerating.... People do not get beaten up out of the blue for no reason whatsoever (in all but the rarest of circumstances)...

... but your idea of 'no provocation' may be different to mine'..

i.e....  A tourist responds to a high fare quite with "F%$K you, I'm not paying that"... (gets a kick in the head) - I'm wondering if you think thats 'without' provocation....

 

 

 

The provocation is the scam being perpetrated. Would that not be the 'trigger point' for the tourist to exclaim verbally?

Does that make it okay for him to be attacked after being scammed in the first place? Too many foreigners who have gone 'native' here.

The problem is they know next to nothing will happen to them, I have even heard them joke about giving a farang good kicking, just go down the police station and pay my 500 baht, 

9 minutes ago, bob smith said:

13 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

All the time?  A couple of times over several years would be more accurate.

I see it quite regularly and I ALWAYS help tourists on the street when I see they are about to be scammed or taken advantage of in some way.

Who mentioned scams?  You responded "Happens all the time" to...

"The guy just randomly attacked a tourist for absolutely no reason at all".  You do not see that regularly, never mind "all the time", if you have, be specific about all those completely unprovoked attacks that you've assisted with.

6 minutes ago, NowNow said:

The provocation is the scam being perpetrated. Would that not be the 'trigger point' for the tourist to exclaim verbally?

Does that make it okay for him to be attacked after being scammed in the first place? Too many foreigners who have gone 'native' here.

 

No... It does not, not at all - there is no condoning of violence at all.

 

But, there is an understanding amongst 'most' who've been here any length of time that there should be no reaction at all to these guys...

..... we seen it too many times - Foreigner attacked with machete over 50 baht... etc

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...most of it was without provocation".

Without specifics, and evidence, clearly there's a 100% chance that you are lying.

 

1 minute ago, NowNow said:

 

The provocation is the scam being perpetrated. Would that not be the 'trigger point' for the tourist to exclaim verbally?

Does that make it okay for him to be attacked after being scammed in the first place? Too many foreigners who have gone 'native' here.

What many folks don’t understand is, reacting to a negative action has the propensity to escalate the situation, no matter where in the world it occurs. The white knight syndrome is silly from the perspective of anyone who has any bit of being street smart.

1 minute ago, novacova said:

 

What many folks don’t understand is, reacting to a negative action has the propensity to escalate the situation, no matter where in the world it occurs. The white knight syndrome is silly from the perspective of anyone who has any bit of being street smart.

 

Can you explain 'white knight syndrome' in the context of what you have written? It make no sense at all.