Road-Raging Van Driver Accused of Attacking Reporter with Knife
Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Photo of the van driver attempting to knife Thai PBS reporter Bancha Eiammeechai as provided by Bancha to the police.

AYUTTHAYA — A public van driver has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly chasing down a reporter who honked at him with a knife.

Police in Ayutthaya province filed charges today against the unidentified driver, who reportedly exited the van he was driving with a five-inch knife and pursued Thai PBS reporter Bancha Eiammeechai.

The altercation allegedly broke out after Bancha honked his horn at the van driver Monday as they passed over a bridge because he was swerving dangerously. According to Bancha, when the two vehicles got stuck in a traffic, the driver approached Bancha’s car menacingly, prompting him and his sister to flee the vehicle.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1450766697


-- Khaosod English 2015-12-22

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

indeed, now i read it..

Public van driver armed with a 5-inch knife.

Part of the Thailand safe campaign? A vocal disgruntled passenger of his van would probably have been knifed.

Attempted murder. I suppose a 500 Baht fine and a slap on the wrist. That will teach him!

I guess his door locks didn't work ! Why flee the vehicle

The drivers mother will save him Tell everyone he was sad she didnot give him rice for breakfast. Not his fault.

I guess his door locks didn't work ! Why flee the vehicle

Yes right, because you can't smash a cars side windows with a knife, can you...

More Thainess being shown here. A plus plus for tourism.

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

when you dont know how to punctuate your english correctly, and neither does the sub ed.

Ahhhhh, yes, Another shining example of Thai Male Maturity.

I guess his door locks didn't work ! Why flee the vehicle

Would you stay in the vehicle with a maniac coming towards you with a large knife. Do you think vehicle windows are indestructible?

Face for a face. Make someone lose face, they will just take yours. Literally.

Total disgraceful behaviour from such a disciplined well trained van driver regarding dealing with members of the public must have been so distressing having someone honk the horn at you for swerving over the carriageway and it was not a foreigner but a Thai that was the perpetrator of such a nasty honk that he had to be punished with death if caught with a large knife designed for killing members of the public.

I guess his door locks didn't work ! Why flee the vehicle

Would you stay in the vehicle with a maniac coming towards you with a large knife. Do you think vehicle windows are indestructible?

Er, yes I would take being inside the vehicle as safer than getting out. Plus as soon as the traffic starts moving, Vvvvvroooooom...

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

when you dont know how to punctuate your english correctly, and neither does the sub ed.

I guess sarcasm is lost on some !

Attempted murder. I suppose a 500 Baht fine and a slap on the wrist. That will teach him!

Only until this psycho actually kills someone then they will blame it on a Burmese worker.

A Thai would never actually stab someone, they aren't coordinated enough

Are they only breeding maniacs in this "tranquil and peace loving nation" as someone described it recently?

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

when you dont know how to punctuate your english correctly, and neither does the sub ed.

I guess sarcasm is lost on some !

Its a good observation, and well put, but I don't think drawing attention to a mistake with a rhetorical question is sarcasm,

and samsensam makes a good point about the sub-editor.

Public van driver armed with a 5-inch knife.

Part of the Thailand safe campaign? A vocal disgruntled passenger of his van would probably have been knifed.

Mandatory equipment as a new safety rules become real on roads in LOS.

Interprovincial public vans in Thailand are notorious for their frequent accidents.
Road rage and threatening behavior occasionally make it into national news.

I try to avoid traveling with minivans.
Would estimate that more then 50% of them are not able to drive a car reasonable.
Driving too fast, no safety distance, changing lanes without turn signals, overtaking in the wrong lane,
cornering, ignoring traffic lights, etc.
Also many are overtired or incited with energy drinks or tablets.
Much of these are short fused, aggressive, unfriendly and well armed.
From everything that drives, swims or flies, these are the worst drivers.

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

easy if you read Thai news stories....

At this time of year I think yaba usage of the van drivers goes way up. They get paid by the passenger load (hence the mostly maniac driving) and it is super busy this time of year.

One of the scariest van trips I ever took was going to Pattaya for NYE a few years back. I normally sleep on the way but not this time, he drove like he had a death wish!

When you add yaba into the mix it is no surprise that these things happen.

I guess his door locks didn't work ! Why flee the vehicle

Yes right, because you can't smash a cars side windows with a knife, can you...

No you can't -, would you like to try it sometime...

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

Probably the same way the police are able to charge an unidentified driver.....

We safe, I safe, you safe , tourists safe, van safe, bus safe, train safe: Thailand safe!

From what?...from safety

...'it wasn't a knife, Your Honor....it was an eclair....I swear'.... '....and I only did it because.....'.......

(...how many guys of 'like mentality' are on the road at any given time....)

(...how many have firearms.....60-80 million firearms estimated to be in Thailand...)

...a 'honk' is a warning....or an 'alert'.....(...people learn that in driving school)

....here....it is a death sentence.....

...same for other proper behavior....

....jungle law....

...

I guess his door locks didn't work ! Why flee the vehicle

Would you stay in the vehicle with a maniac coming towards you with a large knife. Do you think vehicle windows are indestructible?

Yes I would stay in my vehicle and record his tirade on whatever device I had at the time. If he got too violent I would also and use my car as a weapon.

All I say is: "We safe Thailand safe"

Thats it......Ban all horns.