Phuket Tuk-Tuk Driver Gets Suspended Sentence For Attack On Tourist

[moskito]

At the police station, Mr Sirapob apologized to Mr Taha Taha, offering to pay him compensation.

what was he offering? a new holiday? totally different location, far away from any scumbags hitting tourists?

However, he could just have turned around and let the touri without the tuk tuk.... there is NO EXCUSE for hitting him

in front of his family....do that with a Thai and you are dead....

A PROPER PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM SHOULD BE A SOLUTION ---- unfortunately NO WAY as long as the wrong people making money on the current transportation system.... its a SHAME

[georgey]

What for pure Guy's travelling around the Globe for fighting for 3.5$ .........are there no better Things to do in Holiday as this .......

You are exactly right. So what do you propose as the correct limit that a tourist should stand firm about? $35? $350? You realize, of course, that if you somehow managed to get every tourist to follow your advice, then soon every tourist will be overcharged by whatever amount you've deemed as acceptable. My understanding is that some tourists feel they should set the limit at whatever was agreed. They won't cheat the seller, and in turn they expect to also not be cheated. (And further, do you think the tourist really expected to be physically assaulted over $3.50? A ride on licensed public transportation is not supposed to be handled the same way as a mugging.)

seems u understood what Asiate was saying......well done - I didn't have a clue what he was on about

[KhunMoo]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

[NomadJoe]

I remember when I first moved here 11 years ago 4 or 5 of my mates and I could get a tuk tuk from Kata-Patong or Patong-Kata for 250-300B. The other day a friend was charged 500B for a motosai from Patong to Rawai. Times have changed.

Just read this:

Thursday, September 5, 2002

The tuk-tuk fare has been agreed at the rate of 50 baht for the first two kilometers and 12 baht for each kilometer after that. The driver is allowed to charge extra for trips that include hills, but he must tell the passenger first.

This the maximum rate and can be negotiated down if drivers and passengers agree. There’s an added charge of 10 baht per extra person. Every tuk-tuk driver has had to post the new listed rate from August 1.

We go out and check occasionally and if we find a tuk-tuk without the list posted, the driver will be fined 2,000 baht.

Any passengers having fare problems can call 076-220791, or 076-211019, ext 31, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays and after 4:30 pm on weekends and holidays.”

Thursday, September 5, 2002 - Teerayout Prasertphol, Chief Analyst, Phuket Provincial Transportation Office.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=373

So where did it all go wrong?

Edited July 2, 2012 by NomadJoe

[NomadJoe]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

Sounds like all you know of Phuket is Patong. Phuket is an island the size of Singapore with a million residents with many different and varied communities. Besides the seedy nightlife of Patong, there is city-like living with shopping malls and expensive restaurants, beach life with resorts, some bustling, some sleepy, and even village type living. It's really the only part of Thailand I would consider living. Bangkok offers nothing for me, but I have never been fond of cities. Phi Phi..not sure what anyone see's in that retched stink pile. KeeNok backpackers and Thai people that are too criminal for Phuket. The worst. Good diving though.

[KhunMoo]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

Sounds like all you know of Phuket is Patong. Phuket is an island the size of Singapore with a million residents with many different and varied communities. Besides the seedy nightlife of Patong, there is city-like living with shopping malls and expensive restaurants, beach life with resorts, some bustling, some sleepy, and even village type living. It's really the only part of Thailand I would consider living. Bangkok offers nothing for me, but I have never been fond of cities. Phi Phi..not sure what anyone see's in that retched stink pile. KeeNok backpackers and Thai people that are too criminal for Phuket. The worst. Good diving though.

I've been around Phuket, and yes i don't like it - Like i was saying, we like going having a weekend at Zeavola, i paid 15.000 baht a night for the pool villa - i didn't look for "Kee Niaw" Backbackers, but did not see any....they stay in Moo Baan Phi Phi, where i will not stay for more that 10min.

[sportsman69]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

Sounds like all you know of Phuket is Patong. Phuket is an island the size of Singapore with a million residents with many different and varied communities. Besides the seedy nightlife of Patong, there is city-like living with shopping malls and expensive restaurants, beach life with resorts, some bustling, some sleepy, and even village type living. It's really the only part of Thailand I would consider living. Bangkok offers nothing for me, but I have never been fond of cities. Phi Phi..not sure what anyone see's in that retched stink pile. KeeNok backpackers and Thai people that are too criminal for Phuket. The worst. Good diving though.

Well you ain't dived on Osprey or Swains Reef's nor the Cod Hole on the Great Barrier Reef have you If you reckon PP's good. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give PP a zero.

[lounger]

Seems like a fair sentence...

As for the damages to tourism, without condoning violence, 10 egyptians piling into a tuk-tuk refusing to pay 40bht each, no sure it's the kind of tourist Thailand needs in the first place.

my sympathy is with the driver. He agrees a passenger load of 6 then 10 people jump out of the hedgerow.....it would p1ss me off.

Edited July 2, 2012 by lounger

[NomadJoe]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

Sounds like all you know of Phuket is Patong. Phuket is an island the size of Singapore with a million residents with many different and varied communities. Besides the seedy nightlife of Patong, there is city-like living with shopping malls and expensive restaurants, beach life with resorts, some bustling, some sleepy, and even village type living. It's really the only part of Thailand I would consider living. Bangkok offers nothing for me, but I have never been fond of cities. Phi Phi..not sure what anyone see's in that retched stink pile. KeeNok backpackers and Thai people that are too criminal for Phuket. The worst. Good diving though.

Well you ain't dived on Osprey or Swains Reef's nor the Cod Hole on the Great Barrier Reef have you If you reckon PP's good. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give PP a zero.

Getting OT, but you've dived Koh Bida Nai and Koh Bida Nok? You give those a 0? Your high.

[NomadJoe]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

Sounds like all you know of Phuket is Patong. Phuket is an island the size of Singapore with a million residents with many different and varied communities. Besides the seedy nightlife of Patong, there is city-like living with shopping malls and expensive restaurants, beach life with resorts, some bustling, some sleepy, and even village type living. It's really the only part of Thailand I would consider living. Bangkok offers nothing for me, but I have never been fond of cities. Phi Phi..not sure what anyone see's in that retched stink pile. KeeNok backpackers and Thai people that are too criminal for Phuket. The worst. Good diving though.

I've been around Phuket, and yes i don't like it - Like i was saying, we like going having a weekend at Zeavola, i paid 15.000 baht a night for the pool villa - i didn't look for "Kee Niaw" Backbackers, but did not see any....they stay in Moo Baan Phi Phi, where i will not stay for more that 10min.

Ah ok, that makes sense. Any place that is 15,000B a night is sufficiently insulated that you won't have any idea of what the surrounding people or culture is like. You could be anywhere, doesn't really matter. All the same.

[KhunMoo]

2x35 bath here in BKK - i really hope they get the meter taxi's all over the country at some point - well, i don't care about Phuket, as i found out it's easier to to to Phi Phi, from Krabi.....which means i will never ever, ever set my foot in Phuket again, if there is one place in this country i really don't like - that's the Place. But the wife and I love going to Phi Phi once in an while, especially the Resort Zeavola, everything build semi-thai style, it's such a great get-away from busy life in BKK.

Pattaya for a weeked with the boys, sure thing - but there you know your going to crazy-wille, so it's fun for a short weekend - But Phuket, no way -hate the place.

Sounds like all you know of Phuket is Patong. Phuket is an island the size of Singapore with a million residents with many different and varied communities. Besides the seedy nightlife of Patong, there is city-like living with shopping malls and expensive restaurants, beach life with resorts, some bustling, some sleepy, and even village type living. It's really the only part of Thailand I would consider living. Bangkok offers nothing for me, but I have never been fond of cities. Phi Phi..not sure what anyone see's in that retched stink pile. KeeNok backpackers and Thai people that are too criminal for Phuket. The worst. Good diving though.

I've been around Phuket, and yes i don't like it - Like i was saying, we like going having a weekend at Zeavola, i paid 15.000 baht a night for the pool villa - i didn't look for "Kee Niaw" Backbackers, but did not see any....they stay in Moo Baan Phi Phi, where i will not stay for more that 10min.

Ah ok, that makes sense. Any place that is 15,000B a night is sufficiently insulated that you won't have any idea of what the surrounding people or culture is like. You could be anywhere, doesn't really matter. All the same.

Which means, if you read my post, was the whole idea - I live VERY locally in Bangkok, not in a Farang area, work with/employ many Thai's and have many Thai friends, and yes, i think (even though people at TV seems to hate that) That i'm getting very close to Thai culture....anyways Phi Phi for me, is a getaway for busy everyday life here in BKK.

And yes, i love Thailand....and the Thai's - but hate Phuket.

[charmonman]

Not to condone any kind of violence, but it seems to me that this and other recent incidents are an inevitable consequence of the overdevelopment of the Thai tourism industry; fifteen million tourists per year is simply too much. On top of it all, many foreigners who come to Thailand seem to regard Thais as an inferior race or something and treat locals with little to no respect, especially the ones on the lower end of the social scale, like tuk tuk drivers.

Certainly, some of the recent incidents, like the killing of the Australian woman, are unprovoked criminal acts, but I can't help think that others, like this one, are at least partially provoked by the behaviour of the tourist. In my experience, the attitude of Thais towards foreign visitors has declined substantially over the last 25 years. I used to feel respected and liked, now I often feel disdain or even hostility on many occasions. There are simply too many of us now, and too many of us fail to behave properly while in Thailand.

[how241]

Yeh ... right .... gives the tourists that welcome safe feeling ..... I don't think. I will say no more and stay within the forum rules ...

I hear you.... loud n clear.

+1

[HerbalEd]

While there was no need for violence, it reads like the Egyptian tourist was a dick and was asking for trouble .... which he soon got.

[PingManDan]

Why did I not expect anything else, still Amazing Thailand !!

[mufcsamui]

Seems like a fair sentence...

As for the damages to tourism, without condoning violence, 10 egyptians piling into a tuk-tuk refusing to pay 40bht each, no sure it's the kind of tourist Thailand needs in the first place.

for 1 kilometre, maybe puket needs tourists that can walk instead of being scammed by uneducated thugs

[waza]

My god I cant believe the rubbish I am reading. This guy deserved to be assulted because he argued with a driver! Comments like he deserved it or "the Egyptian tourist was a dick and was asking for trouble", "my sympathy is with the driver", what small minded apathetic rubes you are. Then you read comments like'"Farangs can be repulsively obnoxious and arrogant when they are drunk, combine that with the cultural differences and Thais generally being more laid back and reserved" What a fantasy world you must live in, how is this anyway a justification for assulting someone? If this was remotely true why is it only peculiar to Phuket? Why arent the BKK, Pattaya,CM taxi and Tuk Tuk drivers beating up their customers with such gay abandon as their Phuket counterparts? Why isnt it happening on the Gold coast,Vietnam, Spain or Cambodia. Face it guy you have a poor grasp of reality.

[Sloototter]

Have you ever seen an Egyptian or someone from the middle east, paying their bill? It's always the same. making trouble about the bill.

Have you ever seen an Egyptian or someone from the middle east, treating people who are not, Egyptian or someone from the middle east. They can't show respect for other culture. I think the Tuk Tuk driver had a good reason. And I know some Thai authorities do not care about a Thai Tuk Tuk driver being insult by an Egyptian or someone from the middle east

[waza]

Have you ever seen an Egyptian or someone from the middle east, paying their bill? It's always the same. making trouble about the bill.

Have you ever seen an Egyptian or someone from the middle east, treating people who are not, Egyptian or someone from the middle east. They can't show respect for other culture. I think the Tuk Tuk driver had a good reason. And I know some Thai authorities do not care about a Thai Tuk Tuk driver being insult by an Egyptian or someone from the middle east

Hmmm I miss the part in the article that said the Egyptian was in the drivers face or where it says he insulted him. Both of which I dont feel is a justifiable reason to assult someone, the only rational for assult would be self defence, short of that I would turn my back and walk away. But I didnt miss the ethnic profiling in yours and many others posts.

PS: It is blatantly obvious that you and others have vested interests in Phukets tourist industry and therefore your opinions are bias as your concept of reality is bias.

Edited July 2, 2012 by waza

[charmonman]

My god I cant believe the rubbish I am reading. This guy deserved to be assulted because he argued with a driver! Comments like he deserved it or "the Egyptian tourist was a dick and was asking for trouble", "my sympathy is with the driver", what small minded apathetic rubes you are. Then you read comments like'"Farangs can be repulsively obnoxious and arrogant when they are drunk, combine that with the cultural differences and Thais generally being more laid back and reserved" What a fantasy world you must live in, how is this anyway a justification for assulting someone? If this was remotely true why is it only peculiar to Phuket? Why arent the BKK, Pattaya,CM taxi and Tuk Tuk drivers beating up their customers with such gay abandon as their Phuket counterparts? Why isnt it happening on the Gold coast,Vietnam, Spain or Cambodia. Face it guy you have a poor grasp of reality.

Yeah, Phuket is the only tourist resort in the world where violence occurs ... and you accuse others of having a poor grasp of reality? I agree with you in that something has truly gone wrong in Phuket. I first went there in 1987 and it didn't have any of the kind of problems it has now. My point is that this kind of thing, if not inevitable, is likely to happen when a place increases it's tourism numbers five-fold without properly managing it. What has happened to Phuket is the fault of the TAT for mindlessly pursuing ever greater tourism arrival numbers; it the fault of the governing authorities for not properly controlling crime; and yes, in some cases, it is the fault of insensitive foreign louts with no respect for the country or its people who are simply asking for trouble.

[sfbandung]

Why do people still visit that dump anyway?

Yep. I've asked this before, but why does Pattaya still have baht buses but in Phuket the tuk tuk drivers have managed to pull this minimum 200 baht charge?

[Winston888]

I don't understand why so many people in this forum continue to stay in Thailand when they seem to hate everything about it.

Exactly !

[maidu]

I had a minor dispute with a tuk tuk driver in Chiang Mai. My handle on Thai is limited, but I wanted to go the police station (to file a report about something). He took me to the Post Office. He and I had a stand-off where neither of us would budge from our positions. It got a bit tense, but wound up being diffused, with nothing more than some loud talking and hard stares.

My point here is; if the incident had happened in Phuket, there could likely have been punches thrown and/or a group of the drivers' buddies aggressively siding with him.

[Jaivin2011]

When will the stupid people stop coming to Phuket and Pattaya and instead aren't they aware that there are better and cheaper alternatives to these two dump sites? Let only the trash vist these locations and by avoiding these places, the locals will be taught a lesson.

[steelepulse]

What I find amazing is the speed in which this clown of a tuk tuk driver had his case heard in court. All other cases where a foreigner is accused of committing an act, they are threatened with passport revocation, a nice overstay fine due to waiting for justice, or offered a "plead guilty" option and then forced into paying a fine. Even the one foreigner a year or two ago that got beat up ended up in this same scenario. Thais also know that justice is slow and what usually happens is a deal is made, bank notes change hands, and the whole thing is forgotten.

This whole episode is really just a dog and pony show to "restore Phuket's reputation" for tourism. I'm not buying into it, nor am I drinking their cool aid.

[nontabury]

Quite clearly the tourist is at fault.

The tuk tuk driver said they tried to put 10 people

Agreeing a fee for 6 and then sneaking in 10.

That over 50% more.

The tuk-tuk raises the fee by 33% and he is intimidated.

Typical BS.

Good on the Thai Tuk-Tuk driver and I'm sorry that he had to go through what he has, if the tourist was a man than he would insist of paying the man's fine after he tried to rip him off.

The driver said they tried to put 10 people into his tuk tuk, are you sure he's telling the truth?

has the tourist or any witnesses confirmed his account of the event

[americaninbangkok]

I don't understand why so many people in this forum continue to stay in Thailand when they seem to hate everything about it.

Exactly !

It's like an abusive relationship. We know why we fell in love at the beginning. And now we stay and keep thinking that things will change and get better. But alas...

[bikerider21]

What about the 10 people instead of 6? In my hotel, we've had people booking a room for 2 people then on the CCTV, we see the remaining family members sneaking into the room. The guest is then asked to book more rooms or leave which usually finishes with the people leaving because the scam didn't work. The tuk tuk driver should have counted the people before he started off (which I'm sure he did) and informed of the price change at the start, not at the end but taxi drivers are the same the world over, "greedy" and in most cases the passenger pays up. The Egyptian should have paid the 300B and waked away. He's from Egypt for heavens sake. He should be well aware of taxi scams. Not sure you would get this amount of publicity (bad for tourism and all that) in Cairo.

Edited July 3, 2012 by jeffinchiangmai1

[nontabury]

I don't understand why so many people in this forum continue to stay in Thailand when they seem to hate everything about it.

Exactly !

Something's in Thailand are good, something's in Thailand are BAD.

Are you saying that we should not criticise, what we think is wrong?.

[Ferangled]

10 more happy tourists. Keep up the good work.

Sorry, I don't agree. The deal was 6 tourists for 300bt. That's 50bt per tourist.

The tuk-tuk driver can count to 10, so can I.

He only wanted an extra 100bt for the other 4 tourists. That's a great discount. The Egyptian should have been ecstatic.

But no, the 10 rich tourists had to try and scam the tuk-tuk driver, didn't they!

For what? 100bt .... that's three freakin' dollars .... for heaven's sake!

Was it worth it for $3? They've probably spent $15,000 between the 10 of them for this holiday ... and they're making a fuss over $3.

I am THOROUGHLY SICK AND TIRED of this sort of attitude from foreigners towards Thai workers.

Wake up .... the lot of you!

I'm usually charged 70-100bt. I always tip a tuk-tuk driver a 20. I always tip a taxi driver a 50. For a buck or two, we both walk away with a smile.

We all tip in the US, UK, or Australia ... but when we get to Bangkok, rich tourists suddenly turn into misers, scrouges, and whingers.

Where is that tuk-tuk driver? I'll pay his fine - for the moral wrong - and shout him and his family dinner for standing up for himself!

3 cheers

There is no fare under 300 baht in Phuket. To move the tuktuk, it is 300baht. Thats 6 GBP, 7.3 Euro, 9 USD. If you are trying to tell me thats OK to move 500m up the road, well you need to come here and see how you feel after 2 weeks of these <unts. I am living in Patong 9 yrs and I have watched the fare go from 50-80 negotiable, to 300 non negotiable, and these <unts are becoming increasingly violent.

Futher, tourists have no options for transport. None, diddly squat, zero, except the one bus route that goes to Phuket town.

Apart from motorbike taxis, normal, taxis, rental bikes and rental cars... actually they have quite a few options! If however drunkenly frolicking around Patong is the sole aim of your holiday/ life, most choose the tuk tuks as they are the most convenient, and for most £6 doesn't constitute an excessive charge for 6 people... what does that equate to per passenger, the maths is quite taxing for this time in the morning, a princely sum of £1 per passenger. Wow, shock horror, extortionate!