Japanese Golfer Allegedly Beaten Over Disputed Fare in Chiang Mai

[Thaidream]

I have spent a lot of time in Thailand and have used every type of transportation there is. Normally, things go well. I try to chat up most taxi's to maintain a good atmosphere. However, every now and then there is the odd situation that stands out. I have angered a Taxi driver because he claims I closed the door too hard in his Taxi. He wanted extra money- I refused so he told me to get out which I happily did. I have been in a taxi and handed the driver a 500 note for a 120 baht fare and he put the note in his pocket and refused to give change. I had to insist he provide change or I would call the police. I got the change and he proceeded to leave the cab and curse me at the top of his lungs to any passerby. I have also had a few drivers that were high on something- talking to themselves, hitting their fist against the window and generally acting insane. I would say 4 incidents in over a thousand taxi rides but some were scary. I believe the use of drugs or alcohol is a huge problem in the transportation industry here- especially taxis. As much as you want to confront them- the best thing to do is get away from them as quickly as possible.

[Gonzo the Face]

for every tourists who got assaulted, raped or murdered, i wonder how many are reported in the newspapers?

Certainly less than 1% but still the thai apologist claims this country is safe a paradise...

Where did the figure of 1% come from? I would love to see your source.

Be careful what you wish for, I suspect he pulled that number from out his butt.

you mean your mother's butt

note to the mods: i dont like to be insulted by trolling people

Can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.... comes to mind

[Bender]

Be careful what you wish for, I suspect he pulled that number from out his butt.

you mean your mother's butt

note to the mods: i dont like to be insulted by trolling people

Can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.... comes to mind

actually, i completely agree with you.

We are between adults, we should not rely on insult.

But you know, this is a common tactic used by the troll. The thai apologist just try to stir up problems. So the mods will closed down the threads.

But you right, i should not fall for their stupid tricks.

So apologise to others members(except thebonkers) who have been shocked by my words

[shirtless]

I hope the driver gets a nice big fine this can happen everyday , and is probably under reported, Thais are getting to greedy.

[daoyai]

for every tourists who got assaulted, raped or murdered, i wonder how many are reported in the newspapers?

Certainly less than 1% but still the thai apologist claims this country is safe a paradise...

In this age of Info. tech. things aren't in "the newspapers" but onlne. This country is far from paradise but generally safe once you learn the ropes.

The old guy may have refused to be overcharged on his ride, or maybe a misunderstanding language issue. Maybe the driver snapped, hopefully the "real story" will come out. Edit, just read the full article.... the driver is a thug and thief. I have ridden songteaw at least a thousand times in CM and very few bad experiences and nothing like this, never charged more than the agreed price.

"but generally safe once you learn the ropes."

this is a country, where 2 young tourists Hannah and David have been raped and murdered. And the culprits are walking free...2 scapegoats are sleeping in jail.

this is a country, where they found 2 beheaded tourists near Koh larn.

and i can make you a long list of gruesome crime.

Now name another country where tourists are slaughtered in huge numbre???? NAME ME ONE!

And you dare to call this country safe?!!!

Statisticly it is safe. T-land gets millions of tourists per year. Yes there are many gruesome crimes and accidents here but the vast majority return home happy and unscathed. Scooters are the big danger here, statisticly.

[Lampang2]

Monopoly / maffia situation in CM with transportation.

But they are getting a few rare bus routes now.

Orders from above as the local administration was refusing to do it.

But as always running a bus is said to be very very hard, probably to the point that they need to drop it or at least make it almost unusable/ unpopular.

[smotherb]

for every tourists who got assaulted, raped or murdered, i wonder how many are reported in the newspapers?

Certainly less than 1% but still the thai apologist claims this country is safe a paradise...

Where did the figure of 1% come from? I would love to see your source.

Be careful what you wish for, I suspect he pulled that number from out his butt.

you mean your mother's butt

note to the mods: i dont like to be insulted by trolling people

You spout an unsubstantiated statistic; then someone calls you on it and you feign insult. So, you offer a much worse insult, then cross it out instead of deleting it, and make some feeble plea to the mods. For what? I wonder how proud you are of our actions.

[louse1953]

He should get a sex life then he wouldn't have to play golf

you can have a sex life AND play golf. But not at the same time

I wouldn't bet on that mate.

[Fairynuff]

And who provides the statistics?

[soalbundy]

He should get a sex life then he wouldn't have to play golf

Same difference...everything goes in but the balls.

i'm just jealous, i can't even play golf

Edited November 5, 2015 by soalbundy

[Tom Cahill]

for every tourists who got assaulted, raped or murdered, i wonder how many are reported in the newspapers?

Certainly less than 1% but still the thai apologist claims this country is safe a paradise...

In this age of Info. tech. things aren't in "the newspapers" but onlne. This country is far from paradise but generally safe once you learn the ropes.

The old guy may have refused to be overcharged on his ride, or maybe a misunderstanding language issue. Maybe the driver snapped, hopefully the "real story" will come out. Edit, just read the full article.... the driver is a thug and thief. I have ridden songteaw at least a thousand times in CM and very few bad experiences and nothing like this, never charged more than the agreed price.

"but generally safe once you learn the ropes."

this is a country, where 2 young tourists Hannah and David have been raped and murdered. And the culprits are walking free...2 scapegoats are sleeping in jail.

this is a country, where they found 2 beheaded tourists near Koh larn.

and i can make you a long list of gruesome crime.

Now name another country where tourists are slaughtered in huge numbre???? NAME ME ONE!

And you dare to call this country safe?!!!

Statisticly it is safe. T-land gets millions of tourists per year. Yes there are many gruesome crimes and accidents here but the vast majority return home happy and unscathed. Scooters are the big danger here, statisticly.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

It's one of the safest places to go. More Brits die here than any other place 'on record' but there's not so many criminals coming here for holidays without anyone knowing, so they're missing somewhere, but no one knows where.

1. Face on coming traffic.

2. Don't drive motorbikes at all and if you do have to go very, very slowly---it's not a car, and you don't know how to drive one, and neither do the locals (look at all of the scars they have (especially on their heads)), and you probably don't know how bad the breaks often are.

3. Look to see if the driver of the car looks in the mirrors or if he squints into the distance, and is he always changing lanes and trying to overtake in idiotic places like an Indian? Ensure they behave correctly.

4. Don't make eye contact with people who look like they're bad news.

5. If you have an altercation, make sure they don't think you're going to hit them by acting oblivious, then do it until they stop moving about.

6. Make sharp get away and don't go to any of those places the next day or for the duration of the holiday. Move on as soon as possible.

7. Any other obvious rules of going anywhere including in your home country.

[Fairynuff]

"trying to overtake in idiotic places like an Indian? "

Not a very nice thing to say

[Remi080]

The more comments, the more they go off-topic , the more i love thaivisa forum.

Laugh my guts out.

[webfact]

Chiang Mai Driver Charged With Punching Japanese Golfer
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


A CCTV image police said captured taxi truck driver Asang Ayiku on Tuesday when he is accused of assaulting a Japanese expat after a fare dispute in Chiang Mai.

CHIANG MAI — A taxi truck driver suspected of assaulting a Japanese man in the northern city of Chiang Mai has reportedly been arrested today.

Asang Ayiku, 58, was arrested and charged with assault two days after someone posted details of the alleged assault online and police tracked down the driver of the type of red truck taxi, or rot daeng, commonly found in the northern city.

Police Maj. Gen. Pacha Rattanapan said at a police news conference that Isuke Shimoda, the 76-year-old victim, hired Asang to take him to Star Dome Golf Course for 40 baht on Tuesday. The altercation arose after Asang declined to take the man into the course.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1446723765


-- Khaosod English 2015-11-06

[jacko45k]

Ahh, taxi drivers - worldwide scumbags.

Stupid to generalise

Yes, all people who generalise are stupid!

[northernboy]

Lets hope there is a follow up on what the repercussions are for physical assault of a non Thai 76 year old is. I hope it is serving time, stiff fine and loss of license. As a warning to others.

That might show a proper respect for Thainess and the tourist industry in Chiang Mai.

[Travel Dude]

These red songtaew should be completely reviewed:

* Only allow cars on gaz. Currently they are very polluting with their diesel engines

* Use a fare board in English showing prices from A to B, or work with zones.

* Give the drivers training in english and hospitality/manners.

* Teach the drivers the principles of not killing their own goose.

* 6 month inspection of the vehicles, as much automated as possible to avoid corruption.

GOOD LUCK to the Japanese man. I am sorry for hin.

[DLang]

No photo of him being presented to the media?

[DLang]

These red songtaew should be completely reviewed:

* Only allow cars on gaz. Currently they are very polluting with their diesel engines

* Use a fare board in English showing prices from A to B, or work with zones.

* Give the drivers training in english and hospitality/manners.

* Teach the drivers the principles of not killing their own goose.

* 6 month inspection of the vehicles, as much automated as possible to avoid corruption.

GOOD LUCK to the Japanese man. I am sorry for hin.

Another farang telling Thais what they should do.

Good luck with that mission.

[Nowisee]

There are far too many of these traffic jamming, accident causing, polluting smog machines on the roads of CM.

Cut the amount in half... and get rid of the stinking tuk tuk.

Come on, everyone knows that public transportation is needed here, even many thais I talk to say that.

There are fare boards in a few places. You can generally get to most posts for 20 baht, pick up connection for another 20 baht or some will take you the distance for 40.
They don't need to speak english... tell them where you want to go, confirm 20 or 40 baht and go. You can speak 20 and 40 in thai can't you???

If they change the fare, just have the amount agreed upon ready, hand it too him and go. No reason to hangout and argue.

These red songtaew should be completely reviewed:
* Only allow cars on gaz. Currently they are very polluting with their diesel engines
* Use a fare board in English showing prices from A to B, or work with zones.
* Give the drivers training in english and hospitality/manners.
* Teach the drivers the principles of not killing their own goose.
* 6 month inspection of the vehicles, as much automated as possible to avoid corruption.

GOOD LUCK to the Japanese man. I am sorry for hin.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Nowisee

[elgordo38]

These red songtaew should be completely reviewed:

* Only allow cars on gaz. Currently they are very polluting with their diesel engines

* Use a fare board in English showing prices from A to B, or work with zones.

* Give the drivers training in english and hospitality/manners.

* Teach the drivers the principles of not killing their own goose.

* 6 month inspection of the vehicles, as much automated as possible to avoid corruption.

GOOD LUCK to the Japanese man. I am sorry for hin.

GOOD LUCK to your suggestions. They are good but then good things never bear fruit here. The transportation capo's will not allow it. Read the City Life article on the transportation woes here very enlightening. The centralist government in Bangkok will never release funds for a real transportation system and the governor and mayor well they are absent by their silence. Things will muddle along till gridlock is reached which is NOW. What else do you expect from politicians to busy feathering their own nest.

[DLang]

Has the violent maniac apologized for his actions because they made Thailand look bad, yet?

[Nobb]

Yes now the Japanese know more about the land of a thousand punches. You can get them every where. More tourist not coming to Thailand!

[Asiantravel]

I wouldn't be surprised if I saw this behaviour in Pattaya but I am surprised that it happened in Chiang Mai.

I have told many people I have found the drivers of the red sonthaews in Chiang Mai to be generally honest without the rip-off mentality you see elsewhere.

[Alration]

"but generally safe once you learn the ropes."

this is a country, where 2 young tourists Hannah and David have been raped and murdered. And the culprits are walking free...2 scapegoats are sleeping in jail.

this is a country, where they found 2 beheaded tourists near Koh larn.

and i can make you a long list of gruesome crime.

Now name another country where tourists are slaughtered in huge numbre???? NAME ME ONE!

And you dare to call this country safe?!!!

Ok, let's see you justify your claim of tourists being "slaughtered in huge numbers". GO ON!

[Tom Cahill]

"trying to overtake in idiotic places like an Indian? "

Not a very nice thing to say

They're not very nice when they're driving unfortunately. Some are OK. I don't find murderous disregard for human life nice in any way.

[Bender]

So do we know if the crazy thai driver have been arrested? I wonder how much they will fine him for beating heavily an ederly tourist? 200 or 500 baht?!

The japanese victims can feel very very lucky, he is still alive. Remember this american tourist who got stabbed to death by an another crazy thai driver with a saber... for 51 baht. The thai tried to overcharge, the tourists refused and then he got killed for less than 2 US dollars.

Life is cheap here, this country is bloody dangerous!

Edited November 7, 2015 by Bender