Road-raging van driver accused of attacking Thai reporter with knife

[Artisi]

Away with native english teachers ! We don,t need them 5555555 !

No, we don,t - - don't

[Transporter]

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.

I completely agree and also if that object in the mans hand in the picture is the knife in question its blade is a lot bigger than 5 inches. It looks at least 8 inches to me.

I think the police need to stop and search a lot of these minivans as this is the 2nd road rage incident where the driver was waving a knife around and making threats in the past week.

Maybe it time the minivans were all fitted with tachographs and speed limiters too.

[Happy Grumpy]

So much of Thai's behavior is just absolutely pathetic.

[Varangkul]

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 !

Sarcasm is LOST on TV Forum!

[lee68]

I honk the horn about 20 times a day here in chiang mai, you are constantly being cut up by reckless idiots trying to push you off the road,the van drivers are by far the worst as they seem to think there so important, ive photographed and rang and e mailed certain companys to complain,but have never had an answer,even if you ring they will not talk to you.

[tomacht8]

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.

I completely agree and also if that object in the mans hand in the picture is the knife in question its blade is a lot bigger than 5 inches. It looks at least 8 inches to me.

I think the police need to stop and search a lot of these minivans as this is the 2nd road rage incident where the driver was waving a knife around and making threats in the past week.

Maybe it time the minivans were all fitted with tachographs and speed limiters too.

Yes,

and what I had forgotten to mention,

what the drivers do also like,

is to play with there $%& smartphones,

while driving with 130 km / h at a distance of 1 meter from the vehicle ahead.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... charged with attempted murder for allegedly chasing down a reporter who honked at him with a knife.'

'... the unidentified driver ... reportedly exited the van he was driving with a five-inch knife ...'

With such advanced functions, must have been a Swiss army knife.

[Jonmarleesco]

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.

I completely agree and also if that object in the mans hand in the picture is the knife in question its blade is a lot bigger than 5 inches. It looks at least 8 inches to me.

I think the police need to stop and search a lot of these minivans as this is the 2nd road rage incident where the driver was waving a knife around and making threats in the past week.

Maybe it time the minivans were all fitted with tachographs and speed limiters too.

Much better to fit them with drivers.

[ratcatcher]

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

These too?

[BestBitterPhuket]

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

No, it won't. A "lowly" van driver attacking a prominent journalist in a case that has been spread in the media. If anything, he will get a much harsher penalty, and rightly so. A person attemptingbto take another man's life just for honking, should NEVER be let out. He will do it again.

[arrowsdawdle]

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...

Actually you can if you hold the tip of the knife against the glass in the lower rear corner of a door window and strike the butt of the knife sharply.

[mikiea]

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

door locks ? are you daft ? one kick and there is a hole where the window was . you seem to ask a question like that because you have never ..... oh never mind , you are making me tired ...............

[cornishcarlos]

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

door locks ? are you daft ? one kick and there is a hole where the window was . you seem to ask a question like that because you have never ..... oh never mind , you are making me tired ...............

I think you get tired easily...

Each to their own... I would have stayed inside the vehicle... But if you're a fast runner, go for it

[kkup]

I always honk people. It's amazing how little experience and common sense some of them have, plus it's dangerous. My wife think's I'll be stabbed some day.

[Yann55]

Back in January 2012, I learnt just how crazy and dangerous a Thai driver can become if you even LOOK at him in a way he deems offensive.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/735264-nightmare-in-pattaya/

Lesson learned. ever since that day I do NOT 'give the eye' to ANY driver here in Thailand even if he just made the most imbecile and dangerous move. I do NOT honk either, of course.

Unless you're Rambo, Superman, or some kind of wizard, I strongly suggest you follow the same policy if you wish to stay alive in this country. It's not about being right or wrong, brave or not, it's about survival in a country where people can run amok. A word of Malay origin, by the way.

[retsdon]

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.

Many years ago I used to travel weekly from Hat Yai to Krabi and back by minivan. Don't watch the road is the key. If tbe driver is going to kill you all there's nothing you can do about it - better just to pretend you're somewhere else and hope for the best...

[jacko45k]

The cheek of him, honking his horn and interrupting his phone call.

[Petchou]

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

You see this type of rage everywhere. Has nothing to do with Thainess. Some people get mad and commit mass murders in USA, it happened 355 times in one year.

[Bluespunk]

I always honk people. It's amazing how little experience and common sense some of them have, plus it's dangerous. My wife think's I'll be stabbed some day.

All things considered she's probably right.

[duckmandon]

Just another typical example of this countries lawlessness & total immaturity of the Thai male. WE SAFE THAILAND SAFE. You come Touris!!!!! What an absolute joke.

[craigt3365]

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

I've got a Thai friend who lives in Bangkok. She's an aggressive driver, but not a bad driver. She cut somebody off trying to make a turn and they chased her down, got out of their car, and broke her windscreen with a crowbar. She reported it to the police, but they refused to take action as it was a "powerful" person. Same with the insurance company. The big problem here. Their sense of entitlement...and lack of serious consequences when they break the law.

[halloween]

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

I've got a Thai friend who lives in Bangkok. She's an aggressive driver, but not a bad driver. She cut somebody off trying to make a turn and they chased her down, got out of their car, and broke her windscreen with a crowbar. She reported it to the police, but they refused to take action as it was a "powerful" person. Same with the insurance company. The big problem here. Their sense of entitlement...and lack of serious consequences when they break the law.

"She's an aggressive driver, but not a bad driver." Hope she becomes an excellent patient.

Edited December 23, 2015 by halloween

[Si Thea01]

How do you honk at someone with a knife ?

Not difficult, hold one exceptionally long bladed knife n the right hand, run at a fast speed toward your intended victim and at the same time yelllng honk, honk, for others to get out of your way. You must always show a duty of care to those other than your intended victim.

[augustwest]

I'd love to see a Thai drive in NYC. Within 24 hours somebody would sure be popping a cap up his ass

[Si Thea01]

Being a farang, it's hard to not honk the horn when someone cuts you off or won't move over from the far right lane whilst driving at 30 KPH. My missus told me not to honk and be like the three wise monkeys, See nothing, Say nothing and Hear nothing It's bloody hard, especially with the expertise of some of these drivers but now, I just swear under my breath and go with the flow. So far, so good.

[Artisi]

Being a farang, it's hard to not honk the horn when someone cuts you off or won't move over from the far right lane whilst driving at 30 KPH. My missus told me not to honk and be like the three wise monkeys, See nothing, Say nothing and Hear nothing It's bloody hard, especially with the expertise of some of these drivers but now, I just swear under my breath and go with the flow. So far, so good.

Excellent advice, too many with short fuse, gun, knife, steel bar.....

[hutchings1963]

And no farang insite

[craigt3365]

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

I've got a Thai friend who lives in Bangkok. She's an aggressive driver, but not a bad driver. She cut somebody off trying to make a turn and they chased her down, got out of their car, and broke her windscreen with a crowbar. She reported it to the police, but they refused to take action as it was a "powerful" person. Same with the insurance company. The big problem here. Their sense of entitlement...and lack of serious consequences when they break the law.

"She's an aggressive driver, but not a bad driver." Hope she becomes an excellent patient.

Have you driven a car in Bangkok? If not aggressive, you'll get nowhere fast! Luckily, she's an excellent driver. Drives like the rest of them....out of necessity!

[dageurreotype]

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

I'd read a report where foreign embassies never warn their citizens that behind the smile there is a dark side, 'sometimes recklessly so'. From the increasing reports of violence, I believe this to be an accurate observation. They can turn on a sixpence at the slightest provocation. Bit like a cat

[craigt3365]

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

I'd read a report where foreign embassies never warn their citizens that behind the smile there is a dark side, 'sometimes recklessly so'. From the increasing reports of violence, I believe this to be an accurate observation. They can turn on a sixpence at the slightest provocation. Bit like a cat

Many embassies have a long list of issues to be aware of here....sadly, few tourists read them. Pretty much every major guide book lists them also.