German Man Still In ICU After Dispute With Phuket Tuk-Tuk Driver

[robkey69]

No sympathy for the bloke in hospital at all. Play with fire....

Having a Thai wife and knowing what goes on in Phuket he probably should have paid it, but you have to feel for the guy. It's outta line to make crass comment like the one above...

It's been 20 years since I first started going to Thailand and I must admit it's getting to be a rough place now....Thai's are mob oriented....get them one on one and they are nothing...

I hope the guy can recover...but it sounds like he has some severe injuries.

[Logician]

Should be called Puke-it. Makes me sick!

What we see so often on here. Someone that comes on here to tell us how much happier he is back home in Scotland, and how happy and great his life is now. Not quite great enough for you to stop coming to a Thai forum to tell us how bad it is though.

You've moved on 'pmg' why still the need to come on here? Kind of backs up the theory a lot of people had that you have an irrational hatred for the place doesn't it.

[Logician]

No sympathy for the bloke in hospital at all. Play with fire....

Having a Thai wife and knowing what goes on in Phuket he probably should have paid it, but you have to feel for the guy. It's outta line to make crass comment like the one above...

It's been 20 years since I first started going to Thailand and I must admit it's getting to be a rough place now....Thai's are mob oriented....get them one on one and they are nothing...

I hope the guy can recover...but it sounds like he has some severe injuries.

Why?? Why do I have to give a rats arse about a bloke that couldn't go out, have a drink, and get himself home without assaulting a taxi driver? I manage to do it OK. So do most other people.

[pete66]

Oh ok, now its not just pushing him, its assaulting him.

Again, who's word? Who produced this evidence? Local Tuk-tuk drivers? Local rent-a-thug? ha fuc_king ha.

CCTV??????????

[Logician]

Oh ok, now its not just pushing him, its assaulting him.

Again, who's word? Who produced this evidence? Local Tuk-tuk drivers? Local rent-a-thug? ha fuc_king ha.

CCTV??????????

Yes, pushing someone to the ground is called assault.

Why are you automatically dismissing that behaviour to concentrate on the tuk tuk fares and behaviour?

Why can't you explain to me why I never get in to fights with tuk tuk drivers when I use their services?

[Logician]

What percentage of tourists that get assaulted by tuk tuk drivers were seen to be drunk and disorderly and fighting over the price, before they were attacked? Quite a high one that's what. The vast majority of them deserve everything they get.

[pete66]

Oh ok, now its not just pushing him, its assaulting him.

Again, who's word? Who produced this evidence? Local Tuk-tuk drivers? Local rent-a-thug? ha fuc_king ha.

CCTV??????????

Yes, pushing someone to the ground is called assault.

Why are you automatically dismissing that behaviour to concentrate on the tuk tuk fares and behaviour?

Why can't you explain to me why I never get in to fights with tuk tuk drivers when I use their services?

Perhaps because you always pay them whatever they demand .... Thais have lots of words for farangs that do that.

So if my son pushed your son to the ground in the playground should I expect your son to call in his friends and put my son in ICU?

Talk some sense, please. Love the irony of your moniker btw. Classic.

[Logician]

No, I pay what ever price I agreed before I set off, not a penny more, not a penny less.

Easy really isn't it.

[Logician]

. Love the irony of your moniker btw. Classic.

Read my above post. That's logic in it's undeniable glory mate.

[pete66]

No, I pay what ever price I agreed before I set off, not a penny more, not a penny less.

Easy really isn't it.

Well if you had read what his wife said in the interview, it was that 100B was agreed beforehand, and then the driver wanted more afterwards.

Answer me this? Where do the accounts of the pushing to the ground come from? Not the German for sure. Not the wife for sure (she went blind temporarily), not the driver, he just disappeared ........

If the driver was so innocent, why hasn't he come forward?

Who are the witnesses to the incident?

[connda]

I'm sure Mrs. Trotnow's brother can reveil the motorbike taxi driver and maybe even the gang of assaultants - - NOT

Risking your life for THB 100 is meaningless. Downing the driver was not very smart...

Stay away from the Patong rat hole.

Downing the driver was ignorantly stupid. Live and learn (or learn and die as may be). Stay away from Tuk Tuk drivers at all tourist destinations -- learn how to ride in Songtaews. If you do take a Tuk Tuk, negotiate the price before you set foot inside -- and trust your instincts: is the driver loud, pushy, belligerent, smells of alcohol, looks glassy eyed -- find another driver. Stay away from Puket and Pattaya. Don't get physical with any Thai male unless you're Jet Li or are a black belt in Krav Marga or know how to defend yourself against multiple weapon-wielding attackers at the same time. Cut back on your alcohol consumption if you can't control yourself cause you'll end up getting hurt or killed. Life's cheap...you may win the battle but you won't win the war -- you win a fist fight today and end up stopping a bullet a couple of days later -- and nobody will see a thing. Yeah, it ain't fair. But this ain't the West -- but it's more like the West West. Welcome to The Lane of Smiles. Learn to adapt.

Smile. Be respectful. Don't lose your temper. Call the tourist police to mediate -- you may not come out ahead, but is your life and your health really worth a measly 200 or 300 baht? And anyway, if your tying up the driver's time with the police, he isn't making money. He might settle for a lesser amount. Rip-offs happen all the time. If you're taken advantage of -- learn from your ignorance and don't make the same mistake twice. Share your experience with fellow tourists and expats -- forewarned is forearmed. Suck it up...and remember -- smile!

[Logician]

So if my son pushed your son to the ground in the playground should I expect your son to call in his friends and put my son in ICU?

No comparison with children really, but if your son was much older and bigger, ie. a bully, then yes, I would tell my son to do whatever he felt necceserry to stay safe. If that involves getting help from friends then so be it.

The point is, when drunk farang push around Thai taxi drivers, they are only going to do it to people they know (think) they can get away with it with, for example older, much smaller people who quite clearly don't want a fight. That's called bullying where I come from. 99% of people that start fights, only start fights they are sure they are going to win, which isn't a fight at all, it's called bullying. So if these people get a wack from someone else who does want to fight or a group of people, then so be it. Like I said in my first post, play with fire you have to expect to get burnt.

[cobra]

The root cause is alcohol, the universal catalyst for trouble.

With decision making and judgement impaired,

the smallest thing (100b) can escalate an issue to the point where you put yourself in needless harm's way .

If he was sober, situational awareness and judgement would most likely inhibited him from physically pushing a stranger to the ground over a few baht.

Arrogance, cheapness, drunkeness, ignorance of foreign culture, any combination can get you into trouble anywhere, not just in Thailand.

An unfortunate event, hoping for a full recovery.

[kalama]

I wonder whether it may be not a good idea to pass the remarkable list of this ongoing trouble to the Director General of TAT with a copy to Bkk Post and The Nation.

Obviously it is time that clear regulations improve the transport situation for tourists at Thailand's famous seaside resorts.

I would do it but I am residing abroad now. Anybody prepared to do ? Scuba Buddha ?

Hopefully the victim of this terrible incident may recover soon.

I don't know if I am more tired of reading always the same story about tuktuk drivers in Phuket or by the fact that Thai-visa loves sharing those informations that will only end up by having a flood of comments on how tuktuk drivers are mafia, how corrupted is the police, how can one be stupid enough to believe that government will do something etc...

News are quite often the same and comments are quite often similar.

Really? I'm really confused by your comment. Your not sure which bothers you more?...a group of above the law thugs repeatedly hospitalizing tourists or news outlets reporting it and the subsequent peoples comments about it? Your solution then is to stop reporting it? Wow...I guess you got your priorities in line then. How about you just stop reading the news then? Problem solved.

This is becomeing a weekly thing. It's getting hard to keep all the tuk tuk beatings straight. Can nobody stop them?

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

Thaivisa: Tuk Tuks clearly a bane to Phuket tourism

Tourist Belted By Tuk Tuk Driver

Tuk tuk driver questioned over sexual assault of British girl.

Swedish Tourist Punched by Tuk Tuk driver.

Tuk Tuk Violence

Local expat gets major beatdown by 4 tuk tuk drivers.

Crazy tuk tuk driver tries to run me off the road.

Tuk tuk driver stabs Welshman

4 Aussie tourists beaten and stabbed by gang of tuk tuk drivers

Tuk Tuks in Patong

Tuk-tuks warned: improve or die

Tuk Tuk fares still to high: Consuls

PM turns spotlight on Phuket problems

Taxi driver charged with rape

Phuket Cruise ship passengers blockaded

Tuk tuk driver assaults a Canadian man after the man refused to pay the extortionate price for a 1 minute ride

Tuk-tuks blockade US military in Phuket.

Governor lays out strategy for war on taxi mafia

Tuk-tuk drivers in protest over access to port

Eco-tour firms protest tuk tuk bullies

Issues and Answers: Why aren't parking rules enforced (on tuk tuks) in Karon?

Issues and Answers: Tuk-tuks in Kata-Karon

Issues and Answers: Action on tuk-tuk rip-offs

Issuea and Answers: Why no bus between Kata/Karon and Patong? Answer: Bus driver was pulled from his bus and beaten by "competition."

Issues and Answers: "Government intervention will be needed to create a new taxi service in Phuket." - Pol Lt Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen, Deputy Traffic Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station

"Stay away from tuk tuks and ladyboys" Says Phuket Governor

The Sydney Morning Herald: Phuket rip-off: the trouble with tuk-tuks

Fodor's Travel Guide: Phuket Tuk Tuks and exorbitant charges.

Lonely Planet Travel Guide: Phuket tuk tuk warning

Tripadvisor: Phuket's Tuk Tuks are still at it.

iPetition: Governor Wichai - ban the Phuket tuk-tuks!

Making Phukets Tuk Tuks, Taxi's Fair

Phukets tuk tuks shared among top officials

Tuk tuk problems solved soon: Phuket Governor

Tat 'worried' About Phuket Tuk-tuk Gangs

Tuk Tuk standoff in Karoni

War on taxi mafia

Tuk tuks no good

Time for action

A recent visitors comments about the taxi mafia

Phuket Taxi: Primitive transport

Would you believe it..Police citing the taxi mafia?

Beating the taxi fares/

Phuket Public Transport: Cartels continue in the driver's seat

Honorary Consuls Meet In Phuket To Discuss Jetskis, Pollution And Tuk Tuk Mafia

Phuket consuls keep pressure on tuk-tuk, jet-ski scams

Phuket tuk tuk fares in the firing line

Paradise Lost

Phuket officials tackle tuk tuk blockades

Good old Phuket tuk tuks at it again

Phukets must do's and don'ts

How do you get around Phuket cheaply?

.

Edited August 29, 2011 by kalama

[Logician]

Well if you had read what his wife said in the interview, it was that 100B was agreed beforehand, and then the driver wanted more afterwards.

Where does it say that?

[Logician]

The root cause is alcohol, the universal catalyst for trouble.

With decision making and judgement impaired,

the smallest thing (100b) can escalate an issue to the point where you put yourself in needless harm's way .

If he was sober, situational awareness and judgement would most likely inhibited him from physically pushing a stranger to the ground over a few baht.

Arrogance, cheapness, drunkeness, ignorance of foreign culture, any combination can get you into trouble anywhere, not just in Thailand.

An unfortunate event, hoping for a full recovery.

Good, unbias post.

[pete66]

So if my son pushed your son to the ground in the playground should I expect your son to call in his friends and put my son in ICU?

No comparison with children really, but if your son was much older and bigger, ie. a bully, then yes, I would tell my son to do whatever he felt necceserry to stay safe. If that involves getting help from friends then so be it.

The point is, when drunk farang push around Thai taxi drivers, they are only going to do it to people they know (think) they can get away with it with, for example older, much smaller people who quite clearly don't want a fight. That's called bullying where I come from. 99% of people that start fights, only start fights they are sure they are going to win, which isn't a fight at all, it's called bullying. So if these people get a wack from someone else who does want to fight or a group of people, then so be it. Like I said in my first post, play with fire you have to expect to get burnt.

Evidence??? Yet again, you are going on the basis of what? The Royal Thai Phuket Police, lol .........

If he did behave like a total <deleted>, tower over the poor little Thai tuk-tuk driver (with 20 friends a call away), then sure, I feel sorry for the Thai driver, but again, where is the evidence?

The evidence so far from the Thai wife is that the tuk-tuk driver tried to extort an extra 100B at the end of the journey. If true, who is the bully here? Now that would be called BULLYING.

And perhaps you should read some of the dozens if not hundreds of stories about how Patong tuk-tuks operate under their own code.

[pete66]

Well if you had read what his wife said in the interview, it was that 100B was agreed beforehand, and then the driver wanted more afterwards.

Where does it say that?

Go back in the thread. I'm sure a logician as total as you can manage that. Report back when you find it.

[Logician]

Go back in the thread. I'm sure a logician as total as you can manage that. Report back when you find it.

I can only find this:

“When they arrived, the driver charged them 200 baht, but Mr Trotnow insisted paying only 100 baht,” said Capt Teerasuk

Which is a bloke who hasn't pre aranged the price, being charged the fully allowed amount by the new rules, but deciding he only wants to pay half that amount. Where does it say anything about 200 being agreed before hand?

[Logician]

Evidence??? Yet again, you are going on the basis of what? The Royal Thai Phuket Police, lol .........

If he did behave like a total <deleted>, tower over the poor little Thai tuk-tuk driver (with 20 friends a call away), then sure, I feel sorry for the Thai driver, but again, where is the evidence?

The evidence so far from the Thai wife is that the tuk-tuk driver tried to extort an extra 100B at the end of the journey. If true, who is the bully here? Now that would be called BULLYING.

And perhaps you should read some of the dozens if not hundreds of stories about how Patong tuk-tuks operate under their own code.

So where's your evidence to the contrary? There's more evidence to say it happened this way than any other.

[theanimaster]

200 baht equals approximately 4 and a half Euros. A German paying anything less than ten euros for such a trip in Germany would be lucky indeed. While this is not Germany, the foreigners come here expecting everything for cheap and to push people around, just like that German just pushed the tuk-tuk driver to the ground because there was an argument. We don't have the whole story, because as was noted, the German couple were drunk, it is possible they are putting themselves in a much better light than they have behaved, and the Tuk-tuk driver cannot be located because 200 baht is not an incredibly high price to pay for a taxi ride in the rain in the middle of the night.

Why should Farangs be expected to pay more than Thais?

Tuk-Tuks are a rip off, uncomfortable, unsafe, exposed to the rain and emissions from other vehicles.

They should be banned and replaced with Bangkok Style air-conditioned "Taxi Meters"

Don't use them and their prices will soon drop.

I studied in Australia and as an 'international student' we pay double what Australians pay on public transportation -- AND tuition fees. So this whole "why should we pay more?" BS is just that. Why indeed.

I am going to stop recommending my friends or ANYONE to go to Phuket. I support the Let Phuket Dry Up Campaign... if there ever was any, thanks to the unity-through-bitching we all share here. The Tuk-tuk Mafia is indeed laughing at us stupid farangs... unable to organize ourselves to get anything done.

[pete66]

Evidence??? Yet again, you are going on the basis of what? The Royal Thai Phuket Police, lol .........

If he did behave like a total <deleted>, tower over the poor little Thai tuk-tuk driver (with 20 friends a call away), then sure, I feel sorry for the Thai driver, but again, where is the evidence?

The evidence so far from the Thai wife is that the tuk-tuk driver tried to extort an extra 100B at the end of the journey. If true, who is the bully here? Now that would be called BULLYING.

And perhaps you should read some of the dozens if not hundreds of stories about how Patong tuk-tuks operate under their own code.

So where's your evidence to the contrary? There's more evidence to say it happened this way than any other.

What evidence?

Let the guy wake up first and give his side of the account. Or don't you think hearing both sides is the basis of justice?

[pete66]

Go back in the thread. I'm sure a logician as total as you can manage that. Report back when you find it.

I can only find this:

“When they arrived, the driver charged them 200 baht, but Mr Trotnow insisted paying only 100 baht,” said Capt Teerasuk

Which is a bloke who hasn't pre aranged the price, being charged the fully allowed amount by the new rules, but deciding he only wants to pay half that amount. Where does it say anything about 200 being agreed before hand?

Keep looking dude. Its in the thread ..... come on, you can do it.

[Just1Voice]

Chiang Mai - Kad Suen Kaew Mall - middle of town, to my house, 18.4 kilometers = 300 baht. + 1 pack of Marlboro as a "tip". And driver gave me a card with his name and mobile number, telling me to call him if I ever need again.

[TechnikaIII]

No the coma not justified, but a consequence of:

"A big German against a little Thai driver and then walking off drunk. No wonder they hate all of us if the facts are true"

They have no recourse if a big guy just wants to walk off without paying. Or do they? If so, kindly enlighten us.

Are you implying Thais lose fights ?? Doesnt sound like thats the case does it ??

Implying nothing of the sort. Have you had a few too many yourself?

But will refrase it for you anyway: Short of giving him a hiding, they have no recourse if a big guy just wants to walk off without paying. And they being smaller, it's reasonably expected that assistance may be called in. ..ok? So, do they have any other recourse? Have you an answer to the question?

[KhunSteven]

I don't know if I am more tired of reading always the same story about tuktuk drivers in Phuket or by the fact that Thai-visa loves sharing those informations that will only end up by having a flood of comments on how tuktuk drivers are mafia, how corrupted is the police, how can one be stupid enough to believe that government will do something etc...

News are quite often the same and comments are quite often similar.

Really? I'm really confused by your comment. Your not sure which bothers you more?...a group of above the law thugs repeatedly hospitalizing tourists or news outlets reporting it and the subsequent peoples comments about it? Your solution then is to stop reporting it? Wow...I guess you got your priorities in line then. How about you just stop reading the news then? Problem solved.

This is becomeing a weekly thing. It's getting hard to keep all the tuk tuk beatings straight. Can nobody stop them?

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

Thaivisa: Tuk Tuks clearly a bane to Phuket tourism

Tourist Belted By Tuk Tuk Driver

Tuk tuk driver questioned over sexual assault of British girl.

Swedish Tourist Punched by Tuk Tuk driver.

Tuk Tuk Violence

Local expat gets major beatdown by 4 tuk tuk drivers.

Crazy tuk tuk driver tries to run me off the road.

Tuk tuk driver stabs Welshman

4 Aussie tourists beaten and stabbed by gang of tuk tuk drivers

Tuk Tuks in Patong

Tuk-tuks warned: ‘improve or die’

Tuk Tuk fares still to high: Consuls

PM turns spotlight on Phuket problems

Taxi driver charged with rape

Phuket Cruise ship passengers blockaded

Tuk tuk driver assaults a Canadian man after the man refused to pay the extortionate price for a 1 minute ride

Tuk-tuks blockade US military in Phuket.

Governor lays out strategy for war on ‘taxi mafia’

Tuk-tuk drivers in protest over access to port

Eco-tour firms protest tuk tuk ‘bullies’

Issues and Answers: Why aren't parking rules enforced (on tuk tuks) in Karon?

Issues and Answers: Tuk-tuks in Kata-Karon

Issues and Answers: Action on tuk-tuk rip-offs

Issuea and Answers: Why no bus between Kata/Karon and Patong? Answer: Bus driver was pulled from his bus and beaten by "competition."

Issues and Answers: "Government intervention will be needed to create a new taxi service in Phuket." - Pol Lt Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen, Deputy Traffic Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station

"Stay away from tuk tuks and ladyboys" Says Phuket Governor

The Sydney Morning Herald: Phuket rip-off: the trouble with tuk-tuks

Fodor's Travel Guide: Phuket Tuk Tuks and exorbitant charges.

Lonely Planet Travel Guide: Phuket tuk tuk warning

Tripadvisor: Phuket's Tuk Tuks are still at it.

iPetition: Governor Wichai - ban the Phuket tuk-tuks!

Making Phukets Tuk Tuks, Taxi's Fair

Phukets tuk tuks shared among top officials

Tuk tuk problems solved soon: Phuket Governor

Tat 'worried' About Phuket Tuk-tuk Gangs

Tuk Tuk standoff in Karoni

War on taxi mafia

Tuk tuks no good

Time for action

A recent visitors comments about the taxi mafia

Phuket Taxi: Primitive transport

Would you believe it..Police citing the taxi mafia?

Beating the taxi fares/

Phuket Public Transport: Cartels continue in the driver's seat

Honorary Consuls Meet In Phuket To Discuss Jetskis, Pollution And Tuk Tuk Mafia

Phuket consuls keep pressure on tuk-tuk, jet-ski scams

Phuket tuk tuk fares in the firing line

Paradise Lost

Phuket officials tackle tuk tuk blockades

Good old Phuket tuk tuks at it again

Phukets must do's and don'ts

How do you get around Phuket cheaply?

Quite.

[TechnikaIII]

I agree with a lot of that, especially about the resentment among some Thai men when farangs have taken their women. That is certainly true. And Thai men take it out on the Thai women when they have the chance as well... you might even say the Thai men that DO feel such resentment are attracted to work in areas where they get a chance to take out their resentment.

Also agree you shouldn't get so drunk you have no idea what you are doing, bad idea anywhere, let alone Patong.

We'll see (or not) whether the relatives had any part in this apart from "innocent victims".

BTW, your story about New York is great and all, except we have no idea it really happened like that do we? Again I ask, who's story are we currently going on?

And the idea of a bunch of London black-cab drivers kicking some guy to within an inch of his life because he didn't pay a non-metered fare, maybe agreed in advance, maybe not, might work in a Statham gangster movie, not in real life. Never seen it in 30 years, yet happens in Patong seemingly all the time. There is nothing comparable.

Well yes, given that any of the report is founded in fact. By the way, I didn't actually specify "a bunch of London black-cab drivers." London cab drivers are for most part a pretty civilised, multiracial workforce and the vast majority work to regulations. But there are, as we have seen recently, mobs of thugs in London and other UK cities who will sink the boot in at the first opportunity, and some of the gangs are race oriented. I know.

[Logician]

Chiang Mai - Kad Suen Kaew Mall - middle of town, to my house, 18.4 kilometers = 300 baht. + 1 pack of Marlboro as a "tip". And driver gave me a card with his name and mobile number, telling me to call him if I ever need again.

If as many people wanted to be there as want to be in Phuket, that would soon change wouldn't it. The fact that they don't is pretty much your answer.

[Logician]

Go back in the thread. I'm sure a logician as total as you can manage that. Report back when you find it.

I can only find this:

"When they arrived, the driver charged them 200 baht, but Mr Trotnow insisted paying only 100 baht," said Capt Teerasuk

Which is a bloke who hasn't pre aranged the price, being charged the fully allowed amount by the new rules, but deciding he only wants to pay half that amount. Where does it say anything about 200 being agreed before hand?

Keep looking dude. Its in the thread ..... come on, you can do it.

Can't be bothered. unless you want to point it out, I will just assume that I'm right.

[Logician]

Anybody prepared to do ? Scuba Buddha ?

Scuba Buddha started an underground movement against TT's a while back. I'm sure they'll be interested in doing it.