Foreign men attack Phuket taxi driver over fare dispute - video

[snoop1130]

 

Photo via Facebook/ เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket

 

By Petch Petpailin

 

A viral video showed two foreign men attacking a Thai taxi driver outside a supermarket in Phuket, allegedly over a fare dispute.

 

Several Facebook news pages in Phuket shared the video of the physical assault today, December 3. In the video, one of the two foreign men, both wearing white T-shirts, is seen kicking the taxi driver, who was standing next to his red-and-yellow taxi.

 

The two foreigners immediately walked away from the scene after the attack but continued to complain to the driver in their native language. The driver was heard speaking with witnesses at the scene…

 

“They refused to pay the fare. They gave me only 50 baht.”

 

Witnesses and a person who recorded the video suggested the taxi driver report the matter to the police. They also expressed their disapproval of the foreigners’ violent actions.

 

The news Facebook page, Phuket Hotnews, reported that the incident occurred outside a supermarket on Thep Kasattri Road in the Thalang district of Phuket. The news agency then questioned officers at Thalang Police Station for further details.

 

 

According to the police, the taxi driver did not file a complaint with them initially, but they summoned him to the station for questioning after the video circulated on Thai social media.

 

The taxi driver told police that the two foreigners had booked his service through the Bolt app. They travelled from Patong to their accommodation in Thalang, with the fare being 570 baht.

 

However, the two foreigners had only 200 baht in cash and requested to pay the remainder in foreign currency. The taxi driver refused the foreign cash, and the foreigners asked him to take them to a supermarket for a currency exchange, to which the taxi driver agreed.

 

After the exchange, the driver requested an additional 200 baht for the trip to the supermarket. The foreigners refused to pay and argued with the driver before the physical assault occurred. The driver insisted that he would not take any legal action against the two foreigners.

 

Following the release of further details, opinions among Thai netizens were divided. Some urged the taxi driver to take legal action against the foreigners, while others sided with the foreigners, suggesting that the driver might not have informed them about the additional fare for the supermarket trip.

 

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2025-01-03

 

[NativeBob]

Taxi drivers at Phuket are hellishly greedy bastards. The worst in TH

[Centigrade32]

Good.

Of course he doesn't want to press charges, likely due to him threatening them first, added to the insult of him trying to rip them off. First for the ridiculous Phuket fare and then trying to charge them another 200 baht on top of that. Sounds like he got 620 baht and still wasn't satisfied. Greedy barsteward.

[Tropicalevo]

So, the driver asked for 570 baht for the journey.

Guest does not argue.

The guests were short of Thai money and offered 200 baht + some foreign currency.

Driver said no.

Guest said, please take us to currency exchange and we will change it for you.

Driver says OK - does not mention that the guests have to pay to go and change his money.

Hmm

I can understand why the guests are feeling a tad upset about this one.

[Celsius]

drive me around for free. 

 

5 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

So, the driver asked for 570 baht for the journey.

Guest does not argue.

The guests were short of Thai money and offered 200 baht + some foreign currency.

Driver said no.

Guest said, please take us to currency exchange and we will change it for you.

Driver says OK - does not mention that the guests have to pay to go and change his money.

Hmm

I can understand why the guests are feeling a tad upset about this one.

 

Not the drivers responsibility they did not have Thai currency.

 

Driver does not have to chauffer them around for free.

 

You seem woke and entitled. I despise Phuket and I vote with my wallet. If you want to go then expect to pay up. Not worse than any capitalist scumbag western country.

[Tropicalevo]

1 minute ago, Celsius said:

 

You seem woke and entitled. I despise Phuket and I vote with my wallet. If you want to go then expect to pay up. Not worse than any capitalist scumbag western country.

 

Wow, thank you for that honour. 

My friends will fall over and pisstheirpants laughing when I tell them that one.

 

Did you actually read the whole post or just jump up in indignation after the first line?

Where does it state that I agreed with the guests?
I just said that I could understand their upset.

Personally, I never use taxis or riding apps in Phuket.

Not that I go there very often.

[OneMoreFarang]

I wonder if those foreigners will enjoy more time in Phuket - and I mean on the streets and not in the ICU.

[Celsius]

15 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Did you actually read the whole post

 

I never do that, just go straight to comment bashing 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

drive me around for free. 

 

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

So, the driver asked for 570 baht for the journey.

Guest does not argue.

The guests were short of Thai money and offered 200 baht + some foreign currency.

Driver said no.

Guest said, please take us to currency exchange and we will change it for you.

Driver says OK - does not mention that the guests have to pay to go and change his money.

Hmm

I can understand why the guests are feeling a tad upset about this one.

Expand  

 

Not the drivers responsibility they did not have Thai currency.

 

Driver does not have to chauffer them around for free.

 

You seem woke and entitled. I despise Phuket and I vote with my wallet. If you want to go then expect to pay up. Not worse than any capitalist scumbag western country.

 

None of it would have happened if the Taxi drivers do not refuse to use the Meter. 

 

 

This was a Bolt - so there were simple solutions. 

The Bolt Fare was 570 baht (really ???) - the additional fare was 200 baht ? (really).

 

IF the driver had turned on the meter for the extra distance - would the passengers have become so angry ?

 

 

Regardless, thats no way to behave and the tourists were aggressive ayholes...  Ayhole tourists - ayhole taxi drivers - its always one or the other causing problems and in Phuket these issues seem more common than else where, as if like attracts like. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flemo]

Looks like the shoe is literally on the other foot

[arick]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Photo via Facebook/ เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket

 

By Petch Petpailin

 

A viral video showed two foreign men attacking a Thai taxi driver outside a supermarket in Phuket, allegedly over a fare dispute.

 

Several Facebook news pages in Phuket shared the video of the physical assault today, December 3. In the video, one of the two foreign men, both wearing white T-shirts, is seen kicking the taxi driver, who was standing next to his red-and-yellow taxi.

 

The two foreigners immediately walked away from the scene after the attack but continued to complain to the driver in their native language. The driver was heard speaking with witnesses at the scene…

 

“They refused to pay the fare. They gave me only 50 baht.”

 

Witnesses and a person who recorded the video suggested the taxi driver report the matter to the police. They also expressed their disapproval of the foreigners’ violent actions.

 

The news Facebook page, Phuket Hotnews, reported that the incident occurred outside a supermarket on Thep Kasattri Road in the Thalang district of Phuket. The news agency then questioned officers at Thalang Police Station for further details.

 

 

 

According to the police, the taxi driver did not file a complaint with them initially, but they summoned him to the station for questioning after the video circulated on Thai social media.

 

The taxi driver told police that the two foreigners had booked his service through the Bolt app. They travelled from Patong to their accommodation in Thalang, with the fare being 570 baht.

 

However, the two foreigners had only 200 baht in cash and requested to pay the remainder in foreign currency. The taxi driver refused the foreign cash, and the foreigners asked him to take them to a supermarket for a currency exchange, to which the taxi driver agreed.

 

After the exchange, the driver requested an additional 200 baht for the trip to the supermarket. The foreigners refused to pay and argued with the driver before the physical assault occurred. The driver insisted that he would not take any legal action against the two foreigners.

 

Following the release of further details, opinions among Thai netizens were divided. Some urged the taxi driver to take legal action against the foreigners, while others sided with the foreigners, suggesting that the driver might not have informed them about the additional fare for the supermarket trip.

 

Taxis deserves it what fare is 570 in Phuket almost the length of the island 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2025-01-03

 

 

[globalspark]

I am not defending Thai taxi drivers because in general they are all <deleted>. The  use  a Bolt app  so know exactly what the fare will be.  Am I correct in saying that?

 How would they think the taxi driver takes them to  to the supermarket for free?  Why did they not go inside the hotel and ask  to change money there?

The whole saga sounds suss. I personally would not get into a taxi without knowing I had enough money. I had my  share of dramas with Thai taxis at airports. Bangkok  tried to introduce the 50 baht booking fee  but that just adds 50  baht and in most cases   the argument start because they refuse to use meters.

These days I use  Bell to Pattaya  and if I am going to Bangkok use skytrain.Last time I was in  Phuket it was a fixed fare .

[Zack61]

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Regardless, thats no way to behave and the tourists were aggressive ayholes...  Ayhole tourists - ayhole taxi drivers

Seems like it was inevitable that it was going to end up in a sh!t fight. 

[gjoo888]

"the foreigners asked him to take them to a supermarket for a currency exchange." The foreigners  requested the ride to the currency exchange, it's not the taxi driver's fault they didn't have enough Baht. When you ask a taxi driver to take you somewhere, you pay the fare.

[Jeff the Chef]

As it was a Bolt fare the passengers will be easy to find if the driver does press charges, rightly so in my opinion, no need for that, their problem , no Thai money.

[IrishInThailand]

12 hours ago, NativeBob said:

Taxi drivers at Phuket are hellishly greedy bastards. The worst in TH

 

For sure.  Phuket is a gypsy's hole at best of times also.  

[Aleksey75]

Once long time ago, I was on Samui for the first time and needed a ride, so I booked a Grab. And the distance of around 6 km that can cost around 70 baht in Bangkok, took 398 baht on Samui... The same application... Never been to either Samui or Phuket after the COVID, and not going to..

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, NativeBob said:

Taxi drivers at Phuket are hellishly greedy bastards. The worst in TH

Some are, others are fine just doing a job.

[kwaussie]

Fault on both sides, the tight arses could have probably negotiated an extra 100 bht and every body on there way , there is absolutely no excuse for violence over 200 bht , hope the police find them and fine several thousand bht for assault.  

[stevenl]

26 minutes ago, Aleksey75 said:

Once long time ago, I was on Samui for the first time and needed a ride, so I booked a Grab. And the distance of around 6 km that can cost around 70 baht in Bangkok, took 398 baht on Samui... The same application... Never been to either Samui or Phuket after the COVID, and not going to..

Since you booked a Grab it can't have been too long ago.

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

They look Chinese or maybe Korean.  I guess in their home countries taxis don't charge an extra fee when you don't have the correct payment (Bolt clearly displays Baht) and they need to drive you to an exchange and wait for you, then take you back to your intended destination. 

[flexomike]

13 hours ago, Centigrade32 said:

Good.

Of course he doesn't want to press charges, likely due to him threatening them first, added to the insult of him trying to rip them off. First for the ridiculous Phuket fare and then trying to charge them another 200 baht on top of that. Sounds like he got 620 baht and still wasn't satisfied. Greedy barsteward.

he got 50 baht, do you know how to read

[bkk6060]

Look Arab to me.  No matter what the circumstances it is ok for them to assault him?  They should be arrested for assault.

[Mindful Spender]

lets not jump to conclusions.

 

aaaand it are muslims

 

[Mindful Spender]

25 minutes ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

They look Chinese or maybe Korean.  

they look north Africanish

[Tropicalevo]

13 hours ago, Celsius said:

 

I never do that, just go straight to comment bashing 

Love it 

[Andre0720]

Just wondering from which uncivilized country this foreigner came from to visit this, this, well, this country....☺️

[sikishrory]

Both sides are in the wrong.

Entitled passengers should have had the cash or not got in the cab. This goes both way though. The amount of times I have got a taxi that said "sorry I don't have change" is basically a scam in itself.

Taxi guy should have mentioned there was a further fee. 

I doubt they struck him because he was being overly polite. Argument escalated.

Also never seen a Bolt metered taxi. Don't they require different plates as well.

There seems to be a real us vs them vibe in the media in the last few years. Magnified by social media.

 

 

[Cereal]

I didn't see what kind of foreign currency was mentioned. That could be pertinent to the dispute. Rubles? No thanks. US$? Okay.

[chmeatloaf]

Do you beat up people who disagree with you? Can't justify the action of those two unless it was in self defence.