SOURCE: Pattaya Daily News: September 5th 2008

CRIMINAL ARRESTED FOR STABBING TAXI DRIVER ON THE WAY TO PATTAYA

A passenger hired a taxi from Bangkok to Chonburi, turned to be a robber. The criminal stabbed the driver‘s neck with a pen , grabbed a spanner to hit on the victim’s head, kicked him out of the car and drove away.

At 10.30, on September 4th, 2008, Pol.Col. Supathee Boonkrong, Sattahip, with police team and traffic police had put up a barricade on the road, after being notified by Chonburi police that a suspect stabbed, hit and robbed a taxi driver.

The victim who had been seriously injured and dumped on Baan Bung roadside, was taken to hospital. The suspect took property and the car.

At the barricade, on the 1st km road mark pole, Sattahip – Rayong, police was suspicious of a pink Toyota taxi, license No. 270 Bangkok, which was driven from Rayong, heading to Sattahip. Police then gave a stopped signal light and intercepted for inspection. They had found bloodstain on the driver's door and detained the driver, Mr. Tasanai Jitsom or nickname "Muek" (28), from Chonburi for investigation.

Mr. Tasanai confessed that he had attacked the taxi driver, Mr. Thaweerat Pholdee (60), from Nakorn Nayok province.

He explained , on September 3rd, 2008, he had 500 Baht from his mother to go to Bangkok [where the protest was holding]. On September 4th, at 05.30, he decided to hire a taxi from Bangkok to Chonburi [ price agreed 1,200 Baht], in spite of knowing that he did not have the money.

He lured the taxi driver to go to his mother’s place, to get the money for the taxi, but when the car was passing the dark road, he turned around to attack the driver by stabbing 4 times on the driver's neck with a pen, grabbed a spanner to hit on the victim’s head, kicked him out of the car, took his very little money and a watch, then drove away with no particular destination.

The investigation also found Mr. Tasanai had been in jail 6 times of drugs convictions.

Police investigator detained Mr. Tasanai to publish the news and would take him to make a confession plan. Mrs. Tasanai was charged of a killing attempt and robbery.

Photograph courtesy of Pattaya Daily News

Mr Tasanai: violent and evil drug fiend

Its a toss up to me who is the bigger criminal ,the passenger or the writer of this !