2 Dutch Tourists Assaulted By Tuk-Tuk Drivers In Phuket

[george]

2 Dutch tourists assaulted by Tuk-Tuk drivers in Phuket

PHUKET: -- Two Dutch tourists were reported to have been assaulted by minibus drivers after they refused to pay 1,000 baht in damages after one of them walked into a parked, small minibus at Patong beach in Phuket province early on Monday morning.

Unubovd Alcawbimel, 19, and Bootaman Frans Jelle, 20, were attacked about 2.45 am shortly after they left Soi Bang La, a popular nightspot venue on Patong beach, the report said.

While walking back to their accommodation the two young men were fooling around and Mr Alcawabimel accidentally walked into a parked minibus, the report said. The minibus was....

Full story courtesy of Bangkok Post: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/249794/2-foreigners-assaulted-in-phuket

[anon467367354]

a cop saw the whole thing, was held off from intervening by friends of the tuk tuk drivers. The tourists ended up going to the hospital for treatment, but... the police chief wants to see the cc camera footage before assault charges if any are made. It's good to be a Thai in Thailand.

[outofoz]

The Tuk tuk drivers asked for only 1000 baht damage compensation??

They better school up with the jet ski dudes..

[Digicat]

I was just there last week and similar thing happened. 2am I pulled out on my bike with my GF and her friend. Almost immediately we get cut off by a mini-bus driver who starts screaming at my GF that she called him a quay. (She didn't) Then he slaps her! At that point he finds my fist in his nose. He tried to slap me but caught another one really hard while he tooks a few steps back to recover we jetted. Lucky his friends weren't around. I mean the douche slapped a girl... what did he expect was gonna happen? Bunch of animals.

[Tibo27]

They are almost as powerful as the police over there, tuk tuk drivers are the disease of Phuket, way before jetski rental.

What a shame for the local police, cannot even handle a bunch of wild taxi drivers.

[Dogbreath]

Why anyone would want to go to Phuket and be ripped off by a bunch of gangsters and the BIB is beyond me. The cops negotiated with the drivers? I guess we know who runs Puke-et and it's not the local government. I spent three days there and will likely never go back. This is coming from someone who lives in Pattaya.

[KoratFarang]

I hope one day they pick on the wrong person, who can send the minibus drivers to the mock..............

[KoratFarang]

They are almost as powerful as the police over there, tuk tuk drivers are the disease of Phuket, way before jetski rental.

What a shame for the local police, cannot even handle a bunch of wild taxi drivers.

90 % of the thai police are like that, i have always been saying, i will fight for my rigths and maybe i will die fighting but for sure i will not die alone or i will not be the only one dieing !!

[skorchio]

pretty clear who is in charge in Phuket. Anyone in the provision of public transport ...

[TechnikaIII]

I was just there last week and similar thing happened. 2am I pulled out on my bike with my GF and her friend. Almost immediately we get cut off by a mini-bus driver who starts screaming at my GF that she called him a quay. (She didn't) Then he slaps her! At that point he finds my fist in his nose. He tried to slap me but caught another one really hard while he tooks a few steps back to recover we jetted. Lucky his friends weren't around. I mean the douche slapped a girl... what did he expect was gonna happen? Bunch of animals.

2am is animal time in that place. What do you expect? You were there then, so ....

[denis2554]

nice one, mate. Hope you did get away with it...

I was just there last week and similar thing happened. 2am I pulled out on my bike with my GF and her friend. Almost immediately we get cut off by a mini-bus driver who starts screaming at my GF that she called him a quay. (She didn't) Then he slaps her! At that point he finds my fist in his nose. He tried to slap me but caught another one really hard while he tooks a few steps back to recover we jetted. Lucky his friends weren't around. I mean the douche slapped a girl... what did he expect was gonna happen? Bunch of animals.

[saintofsilence]

These are just common tactics of scum in tourist areas that know they will never be charged by police and again shows how unsafe thailand can be.

[Digicat]

nice one, mate. Hope you did get away with it...

I was just there last week and similar thing happened. 2am I pulled out on my bike with my GF and her friend. Almost immediately we get cut off by a mini-bus driver who starts screaming at my GF that she called him a quay. (She didn't) Then he slaps her! At that point he finds my fist in his nose. He tried to slap me but caught another one really hard while he tooks a few steps back to recover we jetted. Lucky his friends weren't around. I mean the douche slapped a girl... what did he expect was gonna happen? Bunch of animals.

Lucky for me all farang look the same. I walked by him twice later the next day with 2 of my friends he didn't recognize me without the helmet (or my fist in his nose).

I am in Bali at the moment and it's a world apart. The drivers here say "hello Sir, Transport?" not "Hey you, Taxi! MAN"

[brianb1944]

What is the betting that the 2 Dutch boys will be slugged with a hefty compensation bill, plus unreceipted fines in order to retrieve their passports and go home. Seen several similar cases and all finished up the same way.

[bangkapi]

I was in Phuket for a few days 20 years ago and saw the writing on the wall.

Things have not changed.

I never returned nor shall I return in the future.

Phuket is as ugly as Songkran celebrations.

They are two blights on an otherwise lovely country.

[brianb1944]

I was just there last week and similar thing happened. 2am I pulled out on my bike with my GF and her friend. Almost immediately we get cut off by a mini-bus driver who starts screaming at my GF that she called him a quay. (She didn't) Then he slaps her! At that point he finds my fist in his nose. He tried to slap me but caught another one really hard while he tooks a few steps back to recover we jetted. Lucky his friends weren't around. I mean the douche slapped a girl... what did he expect was gonna happen? Bunch of animals.

Really

[Fuzail]

They are almost as powerful as the police over there, tuk tuk drivers are the disease of Phuket, way before jetski rental.

What a shame for the local police, cannot even handle a bunch of wild taxi drivers.

90 % of the thai police are like that, i have always been saying, i will fight for my rigths and maybe i will die fighting but for sure i will not die alone or i will not be the only one dieing !!

100% correct 90% of thai police are corrupted, they only listen to real lawyers and afraid to be held in court, there is no honesty here in justice unless you hold thai ID card or you are khun Thai,

these issues are making problem for foreign people alot.

[BlueSmurf]

Isaid it before snd I will say it again.I used to go to Phuket about 3 times a year for 7 years..Not anymore for the usual reasons

[Digicat]

I was in Phuket for a few days 20 years ago and saw the writing on the wall.Things have not changed.I never returned nor shall I return in the future. Phuket is as ugly as Songkran celebrations. They are two blights on an otherwise lovely country.

Phuket is rather large. Outside of Patong there are some really nice areas. Safe, and with rather sweet people. I was giving Russian lessons to the Hotel staff at Kata beach. No drama there. Unfortunately my GF's friend was in Patong we went to hang out there.

[Pulle]

Bad very bad for the tourism in Thailand! It's not the same as 20 years ago!

Just keep on going like this and ..... in the future the tuk tuk drivers will be left without any costumer!

[Digicat]

Bad very bad for the tourism in Thailand! It's not the same as 20 years ago! Just keep on going like this and ..... in the future the tuk tuk drivers will be left without any costumer!

That would be awesome but unfortunately impossible. They would need to be replaced by something. There is no public transport, and if you aren't keen on ridding the bike you are at their mercy. Another thing, if you plan to drink it's best to leave the bike home anyway. So unless you move into a hotel right next to the party zone, you have to deal with them.

[LivinginKata]

Bangkok Post wrote ...

"A police officer passing by saw the incident and tried to intervene, but he was forcefully kept away by the assailants. The policeman fired a warning shot into the air."

And I read another local publication where the police colonel tried to explain that "the officer who drew the gun was new to Phuket and had only been in Patong for three weeks."

In other words that newbie police officer was not aware the true power base on Phuket island ...

[lee68]

Patong beach is just a dump,its just a place to rip tourists off.I lived there for 12 years and bailed out at the right time,i could write a book on the amount of things ive seen with the tuk tuks and jet-ski scams,timeshare and countless others.I was there from 93 on wards when it was still a nice place and the tuk tuk drivers wouldn't take you up na nai road after midnight because they were scared as they used to get held up and robbed up there.now all they do is rob any fool stupid enough to get in one or beat them up if they question the price.

[Flatouthruthefog]

Bad very bad for the tourism in Thailand! It's not the same as 20 years ago!

Just keep on going like this and ..... in the future the tuk tuk drivers will be left without any costumer!

Yes! We know that Labour office and Immigration read postings here.

I DO hope that TAT do the same.

But to get any action will need a great deal more than HOPE!

[khaowong1]

I hope one day they pick on the wrong person, who can send the minibus drivers to the mock..............

Sounds like Digicat did.. :jap:

[Digicat]

<br />

<br />I was just there last week and similar thing happened. 2am I pulled out on my bike with my GF and her friend. Almost immediately we get cut off by a mini-bus driver who starts screaming at my GF that she called him a quay. (She didn't) Then he slaps her! At that point he finds my fist in his nose. He tried to slap me but caught another one really hard while he tooks a few steps back to recover we jetted. Lucky his friends weren't around. I mean the douche slapped a girl... what did he expect was gonna happen?   Bunch of animals.<br />

Really  

Er really what? I ain't saying I beat him to death with his own shoe. I clocked him 2x in the face and jetted. When he tried to hit me, I tucked my head in and let him hit the helmet. Motorbike helmets are good for something. Edited August 1, 2011 by Digicat

[blackthorn2005]

Why anyone would want to go to Phuket and be ripped off by a bunch of gangsters and the BIB is beyond me. The cops negotiated with the drivers? I guess we know who runs Puke-et and it's not the local government. I spent three days there and will likely never go back. This is coming from someone who lives in Pattaya.

In Patong, everything, including the police is run by local government, it's a family affair.

[shawndoc]

Here's what will happen:

1. Tuktuk thugs will claim the Dutch couple started the fight

2. The police will tell the Dutch that they've been accused of assault, that they'll need to turn in their passports and then have to wait a month in order to defend themselves in court. They may also have to spend some time in jail while they wait for their time in court.

3. Then he'll give them an option to plead guilty, issue an apology to the TukTuk drivers, pay a fine, and be done with the whole matter in time to catch a flight out of the country before their visa expires.

So what do you do? Take a month or more out of your life to go to court in a foreign country and pray the courts aren't as corrupt as the cops and the court will rule in your favor or suck up your pride, issue a fake apology and get the hell out of there and make sure everyone you can talk to back home never goes to Thailand? Most choose B.

[hawker9000]

'Not exactly a long time goer (just a couple of trips), but have crossed Phuket off MY list...

[Anyse]

BTW, in regard to the Dutch pair, the film will show it all. Also, isn't restraining an officer illegal as well! Isn't this interference of the law? There were a number of crimes done here. I read the entire article and that they had to negotiate with the drivers was, to me, another part of Thai culture to "save face." I feel that they should have ticketed every tuk-tuk for obstructing traffic and commerce as well. These people are gangsters! What is a ride costing these days in the daytime during the off-season?