Patong Tuk-tuk Driver Denies Tourist R_ape

[Canadian-Jesse]

It is debatable whether or not these friends would have acted in the same manner had they been sober. Even the victim accepted the lift. Obviously being drunk blurs one's vision and thoughts. I think that we should blame all of them for not having someone chosen as staying sober.

As far as how the tuk-tuk driver is concerned, well, anyone who has lived in Thailand for more than 3 weeks knows that most of the ones in Phuket are annoying (and I am being polite). I did not find them to be nearly as bothersome in the North. And, most of them in Phuket are after money. They fake to be helping you. Whatever you are looking for is always 2 km or very far. Test them. Ask them to tell you how far a known location is and you'll know if they are trying to rip you off. In other words, most of them cannot be trusted.

As far as the rape goes, let's remember that many women are not exactly the most reputable kinds out there too. They lie too. (Of course, some men are liars too.) So, it is possible that she did lie. However, assuming she did not let him on or that her behaviour did not make him believe that she was interested (another possibility), this is tantamount to a person walking with a Rolex watch in the middle of Bogota or showing a dog a bowl of water when it has not being drinking for days. As a man, I am very aware of what I should wear and show when I am walking around in poorer places around the world. Of course, if I were to be getting drunk, I might not be as aware or rational and make mistakes. I doubt that this situation would have taken place had those women (or one of them) been sober. If Í were to choose not to wear a condom while having sex with an unknown partner who has VD, even though both parties would be guilty of negligence, I would pay the ultimate penalty, no matter what. NOth aprties would be guilty. One for non-disclosure and one for acting foolishly.

When you make mistakes, you sometimes have to pay the price. So, this is all about negligence, engendered by large consumption of alcohol. And, if the guy did take advantage, it was the girls negligence that provoked it. He was not drunk (one would assume), so I would think that both parties are guilty. This is a grey situation.

Adults have to take responsibilities for their actions.

PS: Even though I know Thailand is a fairly safe place, one should be careful that things at night changes (especially when people drink). That's everywhere in the world. (Also Thai guys must hate farang guys who are stealing their potential GFs. Maybe some of them hate foreigners as a result as well. It must be frustrating for them.)

Sorry for the ... short post.

Well... I'm going to have to 100% disagree with this.

I don't give two shits what the girls were doing or how drunk they were... he raped her. From what I've already read , taking it as fact not fiction, he's obviously guilty and a ###### tard.

No one is responsible for this crime other then the Thai man who commited the crime.

I'm sick of people trying to spread out the blame for certain things because they were "provoked"

What seperates us from animals and makes us human is having the knowledge and the reason to know right from wrong. He knew he was doing wrong and all the girls are guilty of is having too good a time to slow down and think reasonably/soberly.

Last time I checked being foolish wasn't a crime punishable by rape... maybe Thai law has changed since I was last there?

I'm all for making that vile cretin suffer; like his victim will for years to come.

[Canadian-Jesse]

Canadian - Jesse..... Is that really you????????????? ALOHA!!!

Where have YOU BEEN DUDE?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been working

Earning money to come back to Thailand

[sriracha john]

Have to agree with Coutty here - am sure the girl's travel agent forgot to mention that "oh, by the way - don't be getting drunk and expect the taxi / tuk tuk driver to see you safely back to your hotel without R_APING YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another reason to break the strangle-hold of Phuket's tuk tuk transport "MAFIA" (?) - this is outrageous - the story was TOP 4 in the Australian world media today....

More positive, world-wide distribution of publicity for Thailand's tourism....

Unfortunately for the young woman, my signature came early for her....

[Chang_paarp]

Great Bunch of Gals , dumping their drunk friend in a lone Tuk Tuk in the middle of the night.

The friends are probably the same age as the victim. They did exactly what they would do at home, put their friend in the back of a cab and send her home. The chances are these are not well travelled people and not aware of the risks involved in this behavior. They are on holiday letting their hair down and used the same set of decision processes they would at home.

As someone who has spent the odd hour behind the wheel of a cab I used to have this happen about 2 or 3 times a month. The hard part was, at the end of the journey to wake the fare in a manner that was not seen as "impropper" and get them out of the cab without them "soiling" the cab.

[chonburi]

Most Thai ladies including bar girls would not be happy to get into a taxi or tuk tuk on their own at night. The incidents of rape, robbery and murder that occur in such situations in Bangkok, Pattaya and elsewhere are legend.

Sad for the young lady if this is what happened, she should however look closely at both her drinking and her friendships. After the reasonably recent incident in koh Samui plus any number of past incidents in Thailand from years back, you'd have to wonder how she and her friends allowed the situation described to occur. Legless in a foreign country and dumped alone in a tuk tuk late at night, is probably as dangerous as going to a disco in Oz and leaving her drink un-attended.

I didn't see anything in the report to show that the lady reported the offence to the hotel on her return, why was that? After all the Merlin is a reasonable hotel with better than average security used to dealing with falang tourists, not some one star 10-15 room/bungalow establishment.

Though I'm not for a moment saying that it did happen in any other way than as described, it's not unknown for girls under the influence to become a little amorous and the cry rape later after realising what they've done or allowed to happen.

[brahmburgers]

if the tuk tuk driver is found guilty by scientific evidence - and then winds up getting off easy because 'the girl was drunk..." then my already very low opinion of 'Thai justice' will sink ever lower.

[john b good]

Clearly there are two parties holding responsibility here.

With a pair of friends (like the two slags who put her in the tuk tuk) she certainly didn't need any enemies. Whilst they were probably lining up a couple of guys to bed, their friend is lucky to still be alive.

And whilst the tuk tuk driver is the main perp can we expect anything different from some of the people here. Lets not forget the "opportunists" who raped and then killed the young lady on Koh Samui not so long ago.

I had a couple of young female friends who visited the realm a few months ago, and if I told them once I told them a hundred times "do not separate "ever", do not be mislead by the smiling Thai male, do not show too much flesh, and a dozen other "don'ts"

Thailand may be a wonderful place but it can also be a death trap for the naive.

"nuff said"

[burnjr]

Friend,

supposed her friend cannot leave the girls a lone...

why the tuk tuk raped the girls,cos in patong is so many girls to have a sex?????

may be the girls got drunk.....

re

Have to agree with Coutty here - am sure the girl's travel agent forgot to mention that "oh, by the way - don't be getting drunk and expect the taxi / tuk tuk driver to see you safely back to your hotel without R_APING YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another reason to break the strangle-hold of Phuket's tuk tuk transport "MAFIA" (?) - this is outrageous - the story was TOP 4 in the Australian world media today....

Have to disagree a little here

Firstly , in a couple of years in Patong I got on great with the tuk-tuk drivers

that park on Bangla. Never had a problem. That's not talking about the "cruisers"

like the guy my GF said was on YaBa and happened to have a gun in his pocket.

There are cowboys and outlaws but I found they were very much in the minority.

Secondly , would these people have done the same thing with her at home (

wherever they come from) ? Just stuffed her in a cruising taxi ?

The tuk-tuk driver deserves whatever he gets. And I've a feeling he will get it.

[sriracha john]

I had a couple of young female friends who visited the realm a few months ago, and if I told them once I told them a hundred times "do not separate "ever", do not be mislead by the smiling Thai male, do not show too much flesh, and a dozen other "don'ts"

Thailand may be a wonderful place but it can also be a death trap for the naive.

"nuff said"

Your young friends were very fortunate that they had you to give them that advice... it's too bad that other newcomers are not provided the same type of warning. I believe Chang Paarp's descriptions are quite accurate and insightful. Not every tourist coming to Thailand is keyed into just how potentially dangerous it can be.

perhaps TAT could adapt that as their new slogan for 2007.... "Do Not Separate... EVER"

[Galong]

DNA would likely show whether the tuk-tuk driver was the guilty party or not.

Of course that would be wayyyyyyyyyyyy too simple.

Yep, but that's not as exciting for the media. They need to make a big deal out of everything, make accusations without proof, sensationalize everything and so on.

I don't see any reason for accusing the tuk tuk driver until a DNA test has been made. If found guilty, THEN tell the world about it.

[Artisan]

That's the going price (total thievery!) for a short trip in these parts - do you live here? If not - don't comment!!!!

You are saying that comments/postings to this topic should be the exclusive right of Phuket or Patong residents only and visitors, tourists and others outside of Phuket do not qualify to comment. This is a Thailand Forum, people who live elsewhere in Thailand other than Phuket should comment as they feel necessary.

I ask you, as you appear to be a Phuket resident, why are these highway robbers and their extortionate fares tolerated......tell me please, who is to blame or am I being naive?

DNA testing will certainly confirm (not "likely" confirm as another poster has said) that the semen found in the vagina of the woman was from the tuk-tuk driver or not. If it is proven that the DNA found in the semen matches that of the tuk-tuk driver there is then the question of was she raped or did she consent? That's a totally different issue unless a positive witness or a sworn confession is "obtained".

The case may lose its momentum and memories will fade just like the case of the British woman raped and killed by the two fishermen in Samui on New Year's Eve and then a 12year-old Swedish girl was reportedly raped by an hotel employee a few days later. Arrests were made but there has been little or no news since then. One last question, was the 22 year-old Brazilian model, Talipa Rosini, who went missing on Samui, ever found?

[sanook mai?]

This is insane! I can't believe her friends would not help her. Its partially her friends fault, however the driver is clearly a bastard. Taking advantage of a drunk woman is unbelieveable!

I wonder how he will be punished for it. Will he just get a slap on the wrist? or will he have to do some time?

On the contrary though, I was hanging out at a bar here in Songkhla (the darkside) and there was a farang lady who was pretty wasted a few months back. When she wanted to go home the bargirls took care of her and made sure she arrived back to her place safely. I was impressed. So there are people within these bar areas (all over thailand) who genuinely care for a farang's wellbeing.

[mbkudu]

*edit: the tuk tuk driver is going to argue that she gave consent.

It is entirely possible that she did give him consent at the beginning of their encounter and then after,

they had an arguement which prompted her to call it rape later on. I am just speculating; just like the others here who have instantly labeled the tuk-tuk driver a criminal without knowing all the details.

[Artisan]

*edit: the tuk tuk driver is going to argue that she gave consent.

It is entirely possible that she did give him consent at the beginning of their encounter and then after,

they had an arguement which prompted her to call it rape later on. I am just speculating; just like the others here who have instantly labeled the tuk-tuk driver a criminal without knowing all the details.

Quite correct......for most posters, it's case of guilty until proven innocent.

[BigSnake]

I have seen so many farang women walk around our town with little or no care about their surrounding, a hint: to them all BEWARE and be safe it could happen to anyone of you. This woman had a DOUBLE Whammie: Drunk and real BAD FRIENDS.

[sbk]

Artisan, yes the Brazilian model was found, she had not been kidnapped nor raped but went off with a guy she knew. Check the Samui forum for more information.

Back to the topic, men who rape are not "led on" or "tempted". They are rapists looking for an easy mark, simple as that. Rape by taxi driver/tuk tuk driver is quite common in this country so it is highly unlikely that it was anything other than a rapist taking advantage of a drunk girl.

I am closing this topic because it will degenerate once again into the sickos who think the girl was asking for it or the guys who think the driver should be hanged by his private parts. The man is still innocent until proven guilty.

////topic closed////