Taxi driver arrested after altercation with off-duty police officer in North Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- An off-duty police officer pulled a gun on a motorbike taxi driver during an argument in the very early hours of Thursday morning, but found the weapon was soon used on himself. The incident began when the two were riding along north Pattaya road near the Dolphin roundabout. The officer later claimed the taxi driver was riding in a dangerous manner and so he pulled alongside him and told him to slow down. The taxi driver claimed he was riding normally, and the off-duty officer had simply ridden up close to him for no reason.

Story and pictures HERE

-- Pattaya One 2011-06-09

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Here in the UK police offices do not routinely carry fire arms, and those that do certainly would not pull it on someone for a minor traffic offense.

I scares me to think that so many cops in LOS have guns and can take it out of the holster and point it at almost anyone and not be accountable just for removing it from it's holster.

With so many fake coppers about, I cannot blame the taxi driver for suspecting that this individual was a fraud. No uniform... in Pattaya... starting an argument... the copper is lucky that the taxi driver did not go whole hog and shoot him in the head.

I know I have said it before but here I go again! Pattaya is becoming more like the American wild west every day. Am back in Brisbane for a break and reading about these incidents every day really does make me appreciate the order and tranquility here. Only wish it was not so COLD!

<br />I know I have said it before but here I go again! Pattaya is becoming more like the American wild west every day. Am back in Brisbane for a break and reading about these incidents every day really does make me appreciate the order and tranquility here. Only wish it was not so COLD!<br />

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Order and tranquility or ... boredom ?

I know I have said it before but here I go again! Pattaya is becoming more like the American wild west every day. Am back in Brisbane for a break and reading about these incidents every day really does make me appreciate the order and tranquility here.

So I take it you won't be back...enjoy your "order and tranquility."

silly cop.....!!!!!

I know cops in Thailand aren't really cops (as most of understand the definition), but Pattaya cops are the worst of the lot, and are almost indiscernible from criminals. There has been one or two times where I would have loved to have given a cop a beating in Pattaya

He could have saved himself a headache if he pulled out his ID card instead of his gun.

I wonder if the other BIB breath tested the 'officer'?

UPDATE

Questions asked over recent Motorbike taxi driver attack on Pattaya Police Office

PATTAYA: -- Questions are being asked about the confrontation between a Pattaya motorbike taxi driver and an off duty Pattaya Traffic Police Officer in the early hours of Thursday Morning. Later on Thursday we spoke with the officer in-charge of the case, Police Lieutenant Colonel Prichar who did not comment on allegations put to him the off-duty police officer may have been drunk and the use of his firearm may have contravened Police regulations.

Full story HERE

-- Pattaya One 2011-06-10

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The officer later claimed the taxi driver was riding in a dangerous manner and so he pulled alongside him and told him to slow down. The taxi driver claimed he was riding normally,

I see no conflict in these 2 statements. It is merely a matter of interpretation.