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Phuket tuk-tuk driver charged with assaulting tourist
Eakkapop Thongtub


Mr Yang (center) was allegedly punched in the face after a dispute of a fare.

PHUKET: -- A Phuket tuk-tuk driver is to appear in court this afternoon (February 10) after being charged with assaulting an Australian tourist outside of Central Festival Phuket.

At 12:20pm yesterday (February 9) two Australian tourists went to Wichit police station to file an assault report against a tuk tuk driver. The injured victim, Yang Sipeng, 21, was still bleeding from his lip and nose when he arrived at the station with his girlfriend and a translator.

Mr Yang told police that he and his girlfriend took a tuk-tuk from the Sugar Palm condo in Talat Nuea to Central Festival with the understanding that the fare would be B20 each. However, once they arrived at Central Festival the tuk-tuk driver said the price was B200 each.

An agruement ensued and Yang took out B100 to pay the driver hoping it would put an end to the argument. However, the driver snatched the B100 out of Mr Yang̕s hand and threw a punch at his face before speeding away.

At 5pm, the tuk-tuk driver, Chinnarat Kaew, 42, turned himself in to police and was charged with assault. He will appear in court this afternoon.

Mr Yang is currently receiving treatment at Dibuk Hospital.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-tuk-tuk-driver-charged-with-assaulting-tourist-50957.php

-- Phuket News 2015-02-10

[Just1Voice]

Ok, so fine him 5,000 baht for assault, a couple of weeks and jail, and impound his tuk tuk for a month. Maybe he won't be so quick to do it again.

Ok, I'm sorry, I was having a "real world fantasy" moment.

[Briggsy]

There is no excuse for the violence of the tuk-tuk driver and this behaviour has been reported so often, it can be taken this is standard m.o. for Phuket tuk-tuks.

On the other hand, a tuk-tuk driver would never accept such a low fare. So a part of this is miscommunication surely.

[LivinLOS]

20 baht tuktuk rides.. Ohh the lols..

[Bogan Koori]

Nowhere in the world has 20 baht fares for a private vehicle and a 4km ride. The idiot should have known this. No wonder the driver got angry when he tried to palm him 40baht

[monkeycountry]

Why does the court have to get involved in issuing the mandatory 500 baht fine for assaulting a tourist?

[hansgruber]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

[Jingthing]

Clearly there was a misunderstanding about the fare but that doesn't not justify violent assault. That is criminal behavior ... period, end of story.

[Bogan Koori]

Clearly there was a misunderstanding about the fare but that doesn't not justify violent assault. That is criminal behavior ... period, end of story.

It's a criminal offense in a lot of countries not paying or not having the correct fare also

[Jingthing]

Clearly there was a misunderstanding about the fare but that doesn't not justify violent assault. That is criminal behavior ... period, end of story.

It's a criminal offense in a lot of countries not paying or not having the correct fare also

So the driver should have called the police and the police would have enforced the fare and probably more.

Still no justification for violent assault.

If Thailand is going to become a more civilized country, this kind of criminality needs to be checked and not accepted, by Thais OR foreigners.

Next ...

[hansgruber]

Sure it's a man? Going by the picture he looks like a tomboy that fills up my gas at the local shell.

[thaiguzzi]

Nowhere in the world has 20 baht fares for a private vehicle and a 4km ride. The idiot should have known this. No wonder the driver got angry when he tried to palm him 40baht

Udon.

[hanno]

No excuse for violence but maybe there was a little more to it than Mr. Yang just "taking out B100".

[NoBrainer]

You can still go 4 kilometres in a TukTuk in Pattaya for 20 Baht.

[Johnnie99]

Nowhere in the world has 20 baht fares for a private vehicle and a 4km ride. The idiot should have known this. No wonder the driver got angry when he tried to palm him 40baht

How curious that you think everyone knows the value of everyone else's currency, and the approximate value of for example, tuk-tuk fares.

You must be very blessed with superior knowledge of just about everything yourself.

Well done. You're a lucky person.

[Bogan Koori]

You can still go 4 kilometres in a TukTuk in Pattaya for 20 Baht.

Yes in a baht bus. But if you try to hire the whole baht bus then it starts to resemble Phuket's tuk tuk prices

[Bogan Koori]

Nowhere in the world has 20 baht fares for a private vehicle and a 4km ride. The idiot should have known this. No wonder the driver got angry when he tried to palm him 40baht

How curious that you think everyone knows the value of everyone else's currency, and the approximate value of for example, tuk-tuk fares.

You must be very blessed with superior knowledge of just about everything yourself.

Well done. You're a lucky person.

Seriously. 20 baht is 70us cents. Do you really think that's going to get you a private vehicle? And Chinese Australians are acutely aware of the value of a dollar Edited February 10, 2015 by Bogan Koori

[Jingthing]

You can still go 4 kilometres in a TukTuk in Pattaya for 20 Baht.

Yes in a baht bus. But if you try to hire the whole baht bus then it starts to resemble Phuket's tuk tuk prices

The baht bus fare in Pattaya is 10 baht, not 20, but yes that is a bus not a charter.

[hansgruber]

Nowhere in the world has 20 baht fares for a private vehicle and a 4km ride. The idiot should have known this. No wonder the driver got angry when he tried to palm him 40baht

How curious that you think everyone knows the value of everyone else's currency, and the approximate value of for example, tuk-tuk fares.

You must be very blessed with superior knowledge of just about everything yourself.

Well done. You're a lucky person.

Seriously. 20 baht is 70us cents. Do you really think that's going to get you a private vehicle? And Chinese Australians are acutely aware of the value of a dollar

Even Bangkok Taxis charge more than that for flagfare.

[White Christmas13]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

Your comments are disgusting what do you know about Australia ?

Australia is a multicultural country and he is most properly born there.

With a name like hans gruber you should be more worried about Nazies.

Want more ?

[hansgruber]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

Your comments are disgusting what do you know about Australia ?

Australia is a multicultural country and he is most properly born there.

With a name like hans gruber you should be more worried about Nazies.

Want more ?

I was born there, my decendents came on the first fleet.

Australia has become a hive of criminal gangs from Asia and the middle east.

We don't have white Christmas is Australia unless your at Thredbo so I guess youre one of the ones I was referring to.

Want more?

Edited February 10, 2015 by hansgruber

[White Christmas13]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

Your comments are disgusting what do you know about Australia ?

Australia is a multicultural country and he is most properly born there.

With a name like hans gruber you should be more worried about Nazies.

Want more ?

I was born there, my decendents came on the first fleet.

Australia has become a hive of criminal gangs from Asia and the middle east.

Want more?

Yes carry on

[Scully]

Nowhere in the world has 20 baht fares for a private vehicle and a 4km ride. The idiot should have known this. No wonder the driver got angry when he tried to palm him 40baht

Udon.

20 years ago maybe.

[White Christmas13]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

Your comments are disgusting what do you know about Australia ?

Australia is a multicultural country and he is most properly born there.

With a name like hans gruber you should be more worried about Nazies.

Want more ?

I was born there, my decendents came on the first fleet.

Australia has become a hive of criminal gangs from Asia and the middle east.

We don't have white Christmas is Australia unless your at Thredbo so I guess youre one of the ones I was referring to.

Want more?

Yes I am one of the ones you referring to I was born in Germany came here 42 years ago

but I am an Aussie for long time you don't seem to change at all even you are a immigrant

as well the only true Aussies are Aboriginals and I guess you are not black

[wowfactor10]

A fair punishment would be in my eyes the complete destroyment of his tuk tuk.

plus 5000 bht fine...

[RickyJB]

the guy on the left in the picture, isnt he the same guy thats in all them movies shouting " you can do eeeeettttttt" and why does he have an arrow through his head ??

[RT555]

How many times do you hear on Sukhumvit...telling you 20 Baht all day SCAM?

The Thai tuk tuk drivers are spineless cowards....This kid looks 15 yrs old.....I would have come back with a shim for a present and say thank you......

[HuaHinHim]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

He's only 21 so he may have been born in Australia to parents that made Australia their home decades ago, "Pseudo Australian" is a bit presumptuous.

[hanno]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

He's only 21 so he may have been born in Australia to parents that made Australia their home decades ago, "Pseudo Australian" is a bit presumptuous.

Especially from another immigrant but then I find they are usually the worst.

[hansgruber]

Pseudo Australian. He thinks he is back in homeland Beijing with expecting to pay 20 baht each.

He's only 21 so he may have been born in Australia to parents that made Australia their home decades ago, "Pseudo Australian" is a bit presumptuous.

Well, if you notice the guy on the left, he is from the Chinese consulate in Phuket.

So if he is so well spoken in English, why is he using the consular official as a translator even though he holds an Australian passport??

He is only Australian when it's convenient. They never really assimilate as they stick to their own.

Edited February 10, 2015 by hansgruber