Phuket Tuk-tuk Driver Attacks French Family

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Phuket tuk-tuk driver attacks French family

PHUKET: Phuket police are hunting for a violent tuk-tuk driver who attacked a French family on Saturday with the shaft of a beach umbrella.

One of the victim's arms was broken in the attack and another suffered severe injuries.

Gazette reporters are following the police investigation.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/12/29

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French tourists attacked for parking in 'wrong place'

PHUKET: Chalong Police are on the hunt for a man presumed to be a ‘tuk-tuk / taxi driver’ who allegedly set upon a French family with a beach umbrella in the Kata area of Phuket on Saturday evening.

The family, an elderly couple on holiday with their 44-year old son, his wife and their three children, aged 14 months, seven and nine, claim they were attacked when they parked their rented car along the Kata Beach road.

The family claims they were confronted by a man outside the Karon Municipality offices, at the southern end of Kata Beach.

He was aggressive and told them to move the vehicle, the family said.

After checking the area for no-parking signs, and seeing none, the family refused to move their car and began unloading their beach items.

Moments later, the man returned and assaulted them with the shaft of a beach umbrella, breaking the 44-year-old man’s arm. The 68-year-old father also sustained numerous bruises in the attack.

Many people saw the incident, which occurred at about 5pm, but no-one went to the family’s aid, the victims claimed.

The family escaped in their car, stopping at the Kata Palm Resort to recover from their ordeal. Staff at the resort alerted paramedics.

The family reported the attack to police on Sunday. Today, Chalong police invited the victims to study police file photos of known criminals in the area of the attack.

The victims have apparently identified their attacker and police are believed to be tracking him down.

Phuket's public transport shortcomings have been been the subject of bitter complaints from local residents and foreign tourists for at least a decade.

The complaints have intensified sharply this month, to the point where public outrage could culminate in mob action by victims of the system.

Following publication of a story by the Phuket Gazette on Dec 12, in which taxi drivers were alleged to have threatened and verbally abused staff and tour company representatives at the four-star Centara Karon Resort, the Gazette Online's Phuket Forum saw the first in what has turned out to be several hundred complaints from angry local residents and foreign tourists.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/12/29

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[TAWP]

Scum. Short and simple.

[pattaya_girl]

Hope they catch the man who attacked these Tourists.

Having said that though, It is like Parking the Car on a Motorcycle Taxi Rank - There are no signs telling us not to, we just use our common sense really and not park there to avoid this type of trouble.

The tourists on holiday should have moved on really to avoid this, afterall, they are visitors in this Country.

That is what I think anyway.

[stevenl]

And how do they know not there to park?

No 'no parking sign', so they can park there. And in any case, this kind of behaviour is inexcusable.

Edited December 29, 2009 by stevenl

[thaibkk]

went to phuket 2 weeks ago...

those SCAM taxi drivers who charge anything from 600 to 1200 baht (sometimes per person)

for a 3o min - 3o km taxi drive to/from the airport

where it should cost max 300 - 400 on the meter for the whole cab...

my wife asked 4 places in 100 meters from the hotel

hotel was 1100 for 2 persons, some (i really do not know why they can work this sceme) pakistani-indian so called private car business who tried 900 baht (kamala beach), a travel agency where we booked phi phi trip came with 800 and finally, the realy thai van (private van just for us) at 'only' 600 baht after negotiation ...

[TheJoker12]

(i really do not know why they can work this sceme)

its not obvious?

you can charge whatever you want when you are a police regulated monopoly and attack anyone who gets in your way.

[LivinLOS]

They just consider themselves totally above the law.. Taking an iron bar, breaking bones, beating up elderly people in full daylight, over 'turf' that isnt even really theirs.

They beat a farang with a bit of wood by jungceylon and the police then came and arrested the farang.

[TheJoker12]

"The law? I am the law."

-Tuk Tuk Driver

[DegenFarang]

Did he go too far? Sure. But a savvy foreigner would have never found out how far he was willing to take it. Unless I'm trying to carry a loved one into the emergency room, if a Thai man is screaming at me to do something, I'm going to shut up and get as far away from him as I can as fast as I can. Don't mistake their small size and smiles for weakness, they will fuc_k you up if you piss them off.

[RigPig]

Hmmm I live not far from there, they all belong to the Mafia. There are no motor bike taxis around there because they won't let them in and the fares are ridiculess I had a friend who had his shop window smashed because he told someone where the local bus was and he was over heard by one if them. It really needs to be claened up but we all know why it hasn't I guess.....

[Phil Conners]

Yep. Scum, just like the motocy taxi boys sitting in front of Royal Garden with lots of empty space that they feel they "own". I wonder who gave them that space, surely not Royal Garden management.

[AskTheCPT]

A situation that could have, and should have been avoided.

As tourists they should have taken the guy's word and found another parking spot. You don't go to someone else's country and do what's you think is right in your country.

This guy who beat them is still a piece of human excrement and should be thrown in jail but I put some blame on the tourists.

[Tonyks]

It really is time that the Governor stepped in and did something about the Tuk Tuks. They are becoming a major source of trouble and need curtailing.

Vote me in as Governor and I'll do it!

[bangkoksimon]

I stopped taking my family to Phuket for the simple reason you can't go anywhere without being ripped off severely or having to argue to get a decent price ( I mean 200 baht for a tuk tuk to go 100m in Patong is a joke ) - it ruins the holiday and there plenty of other beaches in Thailand where it doesn't happen

Edited December 29, 2009 by bangkoksimon

[Luxius]

Hope they catch the man who attacked these Tourists.

Having said that though, It is like Parking the Car on a Motorcycle Taxi Rank - There are no signs telling us not to, we just use our common sense really and not park there to avoid this type of trouble.

The tourists on holiday should have moved on really to avoid this, afterall, they are visitors in this Country.

That is what I think anyway.

Anyone who condones violence should be beaten to death with a blunt weapon.

That is what I think, anyway.

[WISteve]

My sympathies to the family for this brazen attack.

Don't expect they will be booking their next vacation in the sunny Land of Smiles?

[Duangta]

So absurd, the whole Taxi/TukTuk/public transport system on Phuket is a joke. These Mafia TukTuk Taxi guys are the worst (all over Thailand for that matter). Never ever use a tuk tuk when you are on Phuket, avoid them at all cost. Do not go to the police when you are having trouble with them. Nobody will help. Hardly ever seen a stronger relationship with two criminal groups like them.

From my own experience: They beat up my girlfriend about a year ago, because she criticized the way they treated their passengers / tourists. She is Thai and was ashamed of them, reflecting on the Thai society/culture as a whole. Two men just f***** beat the shit of a 25 year old small girl, in the middle of the day, on a market place! These guys are the lowest scum of Thailand.

[globin]

The way things are getting here, I am surprised some more cowardly sh*ts didn't join in with the tuk tuk driver.

[Deelectro]

The Tuk tuks and Taxis of Phuket are what make me have second thoughts every time I consider going there for a holiday. Only way to go is to drive yourself, perhaps an amoured car would help.

[Briggsy]

"broke his arm" <deleted>???

This confirms my decision not to visit Phuket for the last 6 years.

[marinermax]

Dear Sirs

I had a similar incident happen to my daughter and I at the end of November at Kata Noi. A Chinese shop owner tried to stop us from parking in front of his shop opposite The Boat House restaurant. I also noted no signs indicating no parking and parked out motorcycle. We returned about an hour later and set off for our hotel only to find that he had let down our front tyre, risking both our lives.

If only he had been more pleasant and allowed us to park, we might have visited his shop and bought something. He isn't exactly attracting customers!

Regards

Mike Wall

[jesters]

Phuket in a nutsshell.

[wlcart]

Can anyone say anything positive about any tuk-tuk anywhere in Thailand?

They are noisy, dirty (terrible pollution!) , rude, dangerous, dishonest and all around bad news.

I guess it may be part of Thailand's identity, but I feel they should make Tuk Tuks a thing of the the nostalgic past.

[dom samui]

Animals they are, i don't say this..... it's how the Army call them ... issat.

[George4]

I've had problems with parking myself. A policeman was puting a ticket on my car and I asked him where does it say no parking.......very nice guy. He walked me 150 yds up the road to show me it and also gave me directions to the cop station and warned me not to park outside there either.

Surely this guy must be known around the area. Why would he bother if it didn't concern him or his business?

Feel sorry for the family but get into an argument over it with a local because there was no sign? Obviously not very street wise..sensible thing would be to move especially when you have your kids with you..

Not defending the culprit or his behaviour in any way but adopting the stuff you attitude (if he has) with Thais is not the way to go.

Edited December 29, 2009 by George4

[mrukman]

people like pattaya girl realy piss me off with her typical thai mai pen rai attitude quote after all there only tourists for 2 weeks this is the mentality of your bog standard educated thai.

[scriv]

This an armed assault by a criminal. Period.

Its the role of a legitimate police force to enforce parking, not tuk tuk drivers. Thailand does not appear to have legitimate police force per se... some good cops, though far too many uniformed criminals.

I suggest that very obvious answer to why there are constant problems with tuk tuk drivers in Phuket; the rip-offs, constant poor service, bad and dangerous driving, traffic snarls, crime and violence is that

***some tuk tuk bosses = criminals = some police***

Mr Governor: why have you not done anything about the tuk tuk problem??

[zthyadat]

Hope they catch the man who attacked these Tourists.

Having said that though, It is like Parking the Car on a Motorcycle Taxi Rank - There are no signs telling us not to, we just use our common sense really and not park there to avoid this type of trouble.

The tourists on holiday should have moved on really to avoid this, afterall, they are visitors in this Country.

That is what I think anyway.

Yes, imagine the visitors to a country like Thailand being naive enough to presume that rule of law actually applies. They should have realised that in Thailand might makes right and if a gang of taxi drivers decide that they own a piece of the public street, then they do, and whoever gets in their way gets a kicking.

[rolschu]

A situation that could have, and should have been avoided.

As tourists they should have taken the guy's word and found another parking spot. You don't go to someone else's country and do what's you think is right in your country.

This guy who beat them is still a piece of human excrement and should be thrown in jail but I put some blame on the tourists.

It looks like you are real don't know the Tuk Tuk situation in Phuket. It is bad...very bad..and you can't blame these tourists Someone soul cleanit up. But everyone is afraid. Maybe also afrai also since all of them are Muslims??!!