Phuket Tuk-tuk Driver Attacks French Family

[changchifu]

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.

How about growling on your knees all the time, still throwing around red bills every 30 seconds. Should it be like this i ask?

[changchifu]

A savvy farang would never confront with a Thai. Who knows if he was carrying a pistol. Better stay claim and let the police clear the matter. It would be great if you know someone working at the media. As far as I know these guys are afraid to be on TV.

You are absolutely right, but in a dream.

Khon Khaen I just confronted a single receptionist, found my self thrown to the parking lot and surrounded by 5 thai men. My confrontation was verbal, their physical, I was drunk and stupid, so my fault. Then the cops arrive and manhandle me more...

There you go.

And this is on the topic.

Why not someone write a nice letter we all could send to the ministries regarded etc.

?

[moskito]

nothing new from PHUKET GAZETTE

Phuket Sunday 14:06

PHUKET: Last week, a family of French tourists were savagely assaulted with a steel shaft at Kata Beach when they attempted to park their rented car for a late afternoon spell of sun and fun on the sand.

The attack occurred in front of the local Municipality Office opposite the Kata Beach Resort, and right next to a police post.

Beneath the serenity lies a hornet's nest in Phuket's public transport sector.

Something will have to give to protect the dream.

The tourists have identified their attacker from police file photos of known criminals in the Kata/Karon area.

But now the police at Phuket's Chalong Station say the attacker, a tuk-tuk driver, has gone into hiding.

"He is not at his house and didn’t show up today [December 31] at the tuk-tuk parking area as normal,” Police Investigator Chana Sutthimaat told the Gazette.

The tourists say the December 26 beating occurred because they refused to comply with the attacker's demand that they not park in the space they were attempting to occupy. Although clearly in the public domain, the suspect had established that particular stretch of road as being under his own private control, a witness said.

Miscommunication and cultural misunderstandings may also have been at work, with the French family speaking little English and almost surely not comprehending the danger they were getting into by ignoring a directive issued by an alleged member of a Phuket transport syndicate.

At least two of the family reportedly suffered injury requiring hospital treatment, one needing a metal rod implanted in his arm to help heal his shattered bone.

The family have asked for anonymity out of fear for their saftey.

How badly this latest incident will affect the island’s rapidly decaying credibility as a desirable tourist destination remains to be seen. But there is no doubt that confrontations between taxi drivers and tourists play out all over the island, every day, all year round.

There probably isn’t a single car owner in Phuket – Thai or foreign – who hasn’t at some point been told to move out of a ‘reserved’ area by these transport groups, whose ‘authority’ derives solely from the ruthless intimidation tactics they employ.

As horrific as it is, news of the assault will come as little surprise to readers who have been following the Gazette’s on-line debates on related Phuket taxi issues. Following several recent stories [Dec 12, Dec 20, Dec 22, and Dec 31], hundreds of complaints have poured in to the Gazette from all over the world, many from foreign tourists citing similar experiences and vowing never to return to the island.

It will be interesting to see exactly what line of reasoning the alleged tuk-tuk driver will take in defending himself: ‘Just doing my job’, perhaps, or, ‘We are local people and we need to feed our families’, or 'He [one of the two male family members] spoke not polite to me'.

But whatever the reason to be given, it won't be likely to qualify as justification for the attack.

Local residents know that many, if not most, public transport drivers are not registered residents of Phuket. They come to work on the resort island from all over the country.

Chalong Police deserve to be commended if they can, and do, bring the guilty party to justice. However, they and other police districts on the island should brace themselves for many similar cases in the future given the sense of invincibility and lawlessness that prevail in Phuket's grievous public transport sector.

– Somchai Huasaikul

[Jingthing]

Same old, same old. Break up the mafia. The military would probably be needed as the police are in on the game. Nothing short of that will change a thing.

Edited January 3, 2010 by Jingthing

[moskito]

oh, btw, PHUKET GAZETTE wrote .....There probably isn’t a single car owner in Phuket – Thai or foreign – who hasn’t at some point been told to move out of a ‘reserved’ area by these transport groups, whose ‘authority’ derives solely from the ruthless intimidation tactics they employ.

I honestly doubt that the sc_mbag would have made the same action if a big MERCEDES or BMW parked there.

No policemen in Thailand would ever stop one of these cars either...so lets buy all Mercedes, BMWs and Fortuners...problem solved.

[LuckyLew]

The problem with dealing with an angry Thai person is, quite often, you'll never know until it's too late. The smile goes away, face has been lost and then there's an explosion of violence. Not that this in anyway excuses what happened but the machinations of the day to day lives of Phukets' tuk tuk operators are, possibly, quite complex. Particularly when the golden cash cow, of years gone by, is beginning to evaporate before their eyes. Money, or the lack there of, can create all kinds of stress. Perhaps one of the mia noi's, or giks, has said that if she doesn'y get more, she's dumping him. Perhaps his gambling debts are spiralling out of control and the real heavies are putting pressure on him. Perhaps his lao kao problem is creating very real health problems and instability. Whatever. One thing's for sure though, it's not going to get better anytime soon. The golden days are over I'm afraid. The likes of Patong and Pattaya have become an urban sprawl of congestion and chaos. Those white sand, idyllic beaches, of the past, are no more. The tourists will go elsewhere for their two week taste of paradise and the angry tuk tuk drivers can keep wondering why it's all gone so horribly wrong.

I agree. Recently a friend of mine and two others were planning a vacation to Land of Scams (LOS). She asked for my input re: Thailand. I told her my observations; they all decided to vacation elsewhere. Oh and BTW these three have lots of money to spend.

I believe Thailand will not change. The system is ONLY about self and profiteering. I believe the powerful do not care about their own people or country, but only care about their self interests. CORRUPTION rules in Lack of Sanctions (LOS)

The Thai people deserve better.

Keoki

People in power not caring about people in their own country is not an issue

that is common only in Thailand. Difference is that in Thailand they are more

open about it and it is common knowledge.

Banks make billions ... CEO make millions

Bank get into trouble ... bailed out by tax payer who were paying their millions

Now banks making billions again ...

CEO making millions

same same not different

[Netfan]

IF the police wanted to bring this guy in its very simple. No tuks-tuks on the road until they have their man. The mayor or whoever is supposed to be in charge of Phuket calls in a few BiB from around Phuket, and puts them in kata at each tuktuk area. They pull up, they are told "go home until we get our guy". Someone would bring him in, probably on a stick- too bad it won't happen.

[brucestatham]

"broke his arm" <deleted>???

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

yes.i went there for 3 days a few years ago,.........never again....for all the same reasons being posted now....

lovely place such a shame........really ....such a shame...

[Jingthing]

Tourists fly home. Crim shows up again. No witnesses. Voila. Back to bizness.

[sharecropper]

Back on track please and no more off-topic posts. The next one will be deleted

a reminder on the topic title

Phuket Tuk-tuk Driver Attacks French Family, for parking in 'wrong place'

Thx

Blimey. Keep your hair on.

This topic has now been done to death, and as I am sure you have noticed, after a while these dying threads kind of veer off into more interesting digressions, once the basics have been covered - ad nauseam.

Close it.

[Jingthing]

Why close it? They may still catch the crim. It ain't over till the fat tuk tuk driver sings!

[sharecropper]

Why close it? They may still catch the crim. It ain't over till the fat tuk tuk driver sings!

Or runs.

[Splatter]

The problem with dealing with an angry Thai person is, quite often, you'll never know until it's too late. The smile goes away, face has been lost and then there's an explosion of violence. Not that this in anyway excuses what happened but the machinations of the day to day lives of Phukets' tuk tuk operators are, possibly, quite complex. Particularly when the golden cash cow, of years gone by, is beginning to evaporate before their eyes. Money, or the lack there of, can create all kinds of stress. Perhaps one of the mia noi's, or giks, has said that if she doesn'y get more, she's dumping him. Perhaps his gambling debts are spiralling out of control and the real heavies are putting pressure on him. Perhaps his lao kao problem is creating very real health problems and instability. Whatever. One thing's for sure though, it's not going to get better anytime soon. The golden days are over I'm afraid. The likes of Patong and Pattaya have become an urban sprawl of congestion and chaos. Those white sand, idyllic beaches, of the past, are no more. The tourists will go elsewhere for their two week taste of paradise and the angry tuk tuk drivers can keep wondering why it's all gone so horribly wrong.

I agree. Recently a friend of mine and two others were planning a vacation to Land of Scams (LOS). She asked for my input re: Thailand. I told her my observations; they all decided to vacation elsewhere. Oh and BTW these three have lots of money to spend.

I believe Thailand will not change. The system is ONLY about self and profiteering. I believe the powerful do not care about their own people or country, but only care about their self interests. CORRUPTION rules in Lack of Sanctions (LOS)

The Thai people deserve better.

Keoki

People in power not caring about people in their own country is not an issue

that is common only in Thailand. Difference is that in Thailand they are more

open about it and it is common knowledge.

Banks make billions ... CEO make millions

Bank get into trouble ... bailed out by tax payer who were paying their millions

Now banks making billions again ...

CEO making millions

same same not different

But I don't take my vacations in the bank foyer.

[cdnvic]

Why close it? They may still catch the crim. It ain't over till the fat tuk tuk driver sings!

Or runs.

You're thinking of bus drivers.

[TAWP]

Why close it? They may still catch the crim. It ain't over till the fat tuk tuk driver sings!

Or runs.

...in the election as the next Mayer?

[tingtongfarang]

Why close it? They may still catch the crim. It ain't over till the fat tuk tuk driver sings!

Or runs.

...in the election as the next Mayer?

Might be funny if we knew it were,nt possible

[geriatrickid]

People in power not caring about people in their own country is not an issue that is common only in Thailand. Difference is that in Thailand they are more open about it and it is common knowledge.

Banks make billions ... CEO make millions

Bank get into trouble ... bailed out by tax payer who were paying their millions

Now banks making billions again ...

CEO making millions

same same not different

What rubbish. . The banks for the most part are publicly traded, which means that all sorts of "confidential" info is available to the public. I suggest that you pick up a 10K form if the stock is traded on an American Exchange or the public investors package in EU countries. There is transparency there. In the case of Phuket, there is NO transparency. I do not think corruption here is "open". It is blatant, in your face and ACCEPTED.

The boards of public company are supposed to keep an eye on things and in many cases during the financial crisis they did courtesy of various regulations in the west. Shareholders have a right to elect boards. If you have a beef take it up with the various stakeholders like union pension plans. What people like you miss is that one of the reasons the investment collapsed was that it was based upon mortgage backed securities, many of which were bundled and sold by public entities such as crown corporations, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. The Icelandic Bank collapse was arguably the first stab in the heart of the UK financial system and that came courtesy of EU banking regulations. The US government's decision to encourage people without the means to purchase real estate encouraged a buying bubble which popped. Easy credit was the culprit. If the bankers are able to create the wealth and make millions for those public companies then they have a right to ask for compensation. It is up to the public companies to decline. There is no such option on Phuket. No consumer has an option. It is a monopoly run by thugs that I believe pays off government officials.

[brd]

"broke his arm" <deleted>???

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

very reasonable comment indeed but other islands are offering similar treatments i.e. Koh Phang Ghan, Samui etc.... though if few maffia linked or not locals think they can do what they want ruthlessly under no respect, no rules neither any police policing better farongs to avoid even to come to holiday in Thailand as Bangkok is much better over all...............only few bad apples can ruin any meals.

[chiang mai]

oh, btw, PHUKET GAZETTE wrote .....There probably isn’t a single car owner in Phuket – Thai or foreign – who hasn’t at some point been told to move out of a ‘reserved’ area by these transport groups, whose ‘authority’ derives solely from the ruthless intimidation tactics they employ.

I honestly doubt that the sc_mbag would have made the same action if a big MERCEDES or BMW parked there.

No policemen in Thailand would ever stop one of these cars either...so lets buy all Mercedes, BMWs and Fortuners...problem solved.

I've lived in Patong for three years and I've never been told by anyone that I can't park here or there, however, finding a here or there is another matter since most places are already taken by taxi's/tuk tuk's, unless you get there very early - and no, my car has never been keyed.

[Payboy]

"I need to speak to both parties involved before making a decision about who was wrong and who was right,”

So, the mayor is a judge and jury - all rolled into one.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Karon tuk-tuk driver gets bail

CHALONG, PHUKET: The Karon tuk-tuk driver accused of attacking a family of French tourists with a metal pole on December 26 turned himself in to police and was released on bail, the Gazette has learned.

Chalong Police Inspector Chana Suthimas identified the alleged attacker as 32-year-old Likhit Thaengthae, a resident of Karon.

Mr Likhit appeared at Chalong Police Station at 10am yesterday and posted bail. Assault charges against him will be filed with the Phuket Criminal Court soon, Lt Chana said.

Mr Likhit stands accused of attacking a French family with the metal shaft of a beach umbrella support pole, breaking one of the victim's arms and badly bruising another relative, age 68.

The family's children – aged one, seven and nine – were present at the time of the attack.

Witnesses said Mr Likhit became enraged when the family parked their rented car in a public parking lot near the Karon Municipality offices in Kata.

The French family, on their way to the beach at the time, ignored his command to park elsewhere because there were no signs indicating the lot was reserved for tuk-tuks, as Mr Likhit insisted it was.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-01-05

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[moskito]

it has stuandchris and there was a reply on it from a mod, on page 18, it says:

Post about a petition and the replies to them have been deleted. Requests to sign a petition is soliciting and this is forbidden by the forum rules.

Please stop posting about or linking to a petition, as from here on members doing so will receive a formal warning for the record. Thank you.

--

Maestro

So please dont post this link anymore.

@ sharecropper,

Why close the thread, pls feel free to click any other Topic. As far as I see there are not much news anyway atm. To keep this thread open will show how much intrest to solve the transportation problem in Phuket is in the farang an tourist community.

so RELEASES ON BAIL.....is he running around to take care for HIS parking spaces then again??????

Edited January 5, 2010 by moskito

[simon43]

Similar to the grumpiest farang in BKK thread, perhaps we should all go down to Phuket and park in HIS space??

Simon

[geriatrickid]

Why is a violent person out on bail? He attacked and seriously injured elderly people didn't he? I thought bail even in Thailand was only to be granted to those that were not a threat to the community. Does this mean that tourists are not considered worth protecting? Oh, that's right he's allegedly mentally ill. Great, so now we have an allegedly mentally ill tuk tuk driver watching over his special reserved space and driving around. Maybe the new slogan for the tuk tuks should be, come ride with s and if you do as we say we will not break your bones..............

[caf]

Why is a violent person out on bail? He attacked and seriously injured elderly people didn't he? I thought bail even in Thailand was only to be granted to those that were not a threat to the community. Does this mean that tourists are not considered worth protecting? Oh, that's right he's allegedly mentally ill. Great, so now we have an allegedly mentally ill tuk tuk driver watching over his special reserved space and driving around. Maybe the new slogan for the tuk tuks should be, come ride with s and if you do as we say we will not break your bones..............

Maybe determination of bail is very much a matter of how many baht notesc are floating around.

[phuketrex]

A Canadian tourist was assaulted this afternoon by a tuktuk driver outside the Sunset Beach Resort at Kalim when disputing the fare has had hospital treatment.

If you use a tuktuk make sure you agree the fare BEFORE you get in the thing.

Edited January 5, 2010 by phuketrex

[brahmburgers]

He's gonna do a runner.

[kjhbigv]

I really can't see anything changing soon. The tourists (with their 2 week spending money) will keep on paying Phuket's extortionate prices and fall foul of the scams.....but eventually, they WILL see the light and find other destinations......hopefully, the penny will drop eventually, but then again!?

By the way up here in the North, never had any issues with Tut-tuts or taxi drivers (apart from their road manners), always been fair, courteous and reasonably priced.....probably put this down to the fewer 'muppet' tourists up here with more money than sense!

[dumball]

Was there not a petition in proccess about this ? What is going on with that ?

What about the local expats blocking all the parking venues with their own vehicles early in the morning , did that come to fruition , or will it ?

All very well to jump up and down on a forum , foot out of mouth and placing it with a firm hand might help , if only for a few to visit the hospitals .

I dunno , jus arskin .

[shawndoc]

If you use a tuktuk make sure you agree the fare BEFORE you get in the thing.

I've had them agree to one fare, and then demand different at arrival.