Road-raging Krabi van driver surrenders [video]

[webfact]

Road-raging Krabi van driver surrenders
Phuket Gazette

The driver of a minivan full of Chinese tourists attempted to run a foreign motorcyclist off the road near Krabi Airport. Video: PGTV/Somboon Ajariya

KRABI: -- A Krabi van driver surrendered himself to police this morning after a video clip of him driving erratically and attacking a foreigner on a motorbike went viral on social media this week.

The video shows van driver Pornthep Petsut, 32, shouting from his vehicle at a motorbike driver and attempting to cut him off before stopping the van to get out and hit him on the head.

The video clip was recorded and posted by university student Somboon Ajariya, who captured it with a dashboard camera on his car.

“I saw that the foreigner had merely blocked the van driver’s way, but the driver chased after him and started shouting at him, before getting out to hit him,” Mr Somboon wrote in his Facebook post.

“This is utterly damaging for Thailand’s reputation,” he pointed out.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Roadraging-Krabi-van-driver-surrenders-video/62807?desktopversion#ad-image-0


-- Phuket Gazette 2016-01-06

[Somtamnication]

Surreal. I asked my wife to buy me a case of honey bottles and give out to road rage van drivers.

[never me]

Thailand's reputation is in the garbage pit already, it cant go any lower.

[aRobotnamedWAR]

Thailand's reputation is in the garbage pit already, it cant go any lower.

challenge accepted!

[craigt3365]

“This is utterly damaging for Thailand’s reputation,” he pointed out.

Here is the big problem in Thailand. They're worried about their image, not the fact this person violated the law and put people's lives at risk.

Krabi Governor Pinit Boonlert dealt generously with the situation by presenting a bottle of honey to Mr Pornthep as a reminder to be kind to tourists. He also asked the people of Krabi to act as good hosts and support tourism in the province.

Another problem. A crime was committed and the perpatrator was given a bottle of honey! LOL Hard to respect the law when it's not upheld.

[Happy Grumpy]

See my Sig.

Such an angry and emotionally disturbed people due to the restrictive culture and hierarchal society, and officially having the smallest todgers in the World.

[wellred]

I'd have knocked him out. I think tourists need to start standing up for themselves. All wear dashcams. Then watch their image fall to tatters within months.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited January 6, 2016 by wellred

[rasmus5150]

He will pay 500 thb, and have a chance for a re-match in the near future.

[guzzi850m2]

I think the bottle of honey was symbolic for the van driver to be more mild mannered in the future.

Also to show that the Governor will maybe not hand out honey in the future if this continues.

The roads here are war zones man, I one witness a van almost got run off the road by an angry big truck driver, he used the truck as weapon and did same maneuver as on the above video.

I hate van drivers, they are bloody crazy man and I really hope they will start clamping very hard down on them regarding drive at the speed limits and always jump the que at the intersection by using the left lane when red lights.

[SOTIRIOS]

....then you hear 'no other vehicles involved'.....when they are scraping yet another foreigner up off the road....

....equivalent to 'suicide'......

....you see that attitude....it is rampant.......

...we are a visible minority.....

(...next let's read how the locals come to the defense of a monkey that attacked a 4-year old...)

[mancub]

I'd have knocked him out. I think tourists need to start standing up for themselves. All wear dashcams. Then watch their image fall to tatters within months.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I like your sentiments, but as we witness all the time, these local guys are a protected species and if you stand your corner you'll invite a whole world of @### to visit you both at the police station and with the "justice" system. That's always assuming the van driver doesn't produce a handgun to end the altercation.

[sanukjim]

Why did not the motorcycle driver whack the shxt out of the van driver ? If the other guy is the aggressor then teach these Xss holes a lesson..No balls I guess.

[mike324]

Why did not the motorcycle driver whack the shxt out of the van driver ? If the other guy is the aggressor then teach these Xss holes a lesson..No balls I guess.

who knows if the lunatic van driver has a knife or a gun?

[balo]

The Chinese quality tourists in the van must have been impressed by Thailands hospitality.

[grumpyoldman]

Driver all hopped up on yaa-baa, they just snagged over 20 of these van guys on it at a Phuket checkpoint.

[connda]

Tip of the iceberg. If happens more often than you think. Just no videos to show how often.

Then the Governor rewards the jerk with a bottle of honey that retails for at least 300 THB. Beat a farang and get a reward. Some message that sends to the Thai community. It's as good as saying: "Great job!!! Do it again in the future."

Edited January 6, 2016 by connda

[connda]

Why did not the motorcycle driver whack the shxt out of the van driver ? If the other guy is the aggressor then teach these Xss holes a lesson..No balls I guess.

My guess is that he would have been gang beat, probably with a tire iron or machete. If you look at the video, the passenger door opens as soon the the driver gets out of the van. Just a guess, but a second Thai was about to join in the fun.

[trainman34014]

The more dash camera footage of the road antics in Thailand the better....get one today !

[mercman24]

stupid comments about fighting back, all these mini vans drive two up 99% of the time, so if the rider did hit back you can bet your bottom dollar a guy would emerge from the front passengers side with a matchete or probably a gun get real some of you will ya. and as it was transporting people on holiday you can bet your life it had two up front

[Doc46]

And we were thinking that the Government was going to do something to clean up those Maggots in the public transport,,, All Talk And No Action ,,,,,Again,,,,

[lostmebike]

And a lot of these van drivers are trusted to do the school-run twice a day!

[SupermarineS6B]

Seen this so many times with these van drivers, they're a bunch of low life trash. I used to have to take one from Had Yai to Krabi and more often than not i'd get the same brand of lunatic, once i even asked the guy to slow down as he was terrifying everyone in the bus, his reply was typical of the halfwits that they are, "You can all get out" ! Monkeys !!

[Nobb]

The big problem in Thailand is that they do not make the fine high enough to make these morons think twice about acting in a insane way. 300 baht fine for this and lose 20 tourist because of these so called insane actions. Wise up Thai government before it is to late!

[MockingJay]

Sure he was Burmese, since Thais would never do such a thing! Welcome to Thailand to discover Thainess...

[Travelman868]

He is not a van driver he is a TAXI driver. Take his licence away, that is if he has one

[Happy Grumpy]

The farang will have to pay for the damage to his hand.

[snoop1130]

Krabi Van Driver Suspended for Punching Foreigner
Teeranai Charuvastra

A police officer helpfully reenacted for reporters how a middle finger prompted van driver Pornthep Petchsutthi (right) to attack a foreign motorcyclist.

KRABI — A public van driver in Krabi province has been fined and suspended from driving for a month after a viral video showed him punching a foreign motorcyclist whilst working.

Pornthep Petchsutthi confessed to assaulting the foreigner on Jan. 1 because the motorcyclist flashed a middle finger at him, police said.

The encounter was filmed on a dashcam by a motorist named Somboon Ajariyand, who later uploaded it to the internet. The video quickly became viral, drawing condemnation from internet users who believed the van driver’s actions damage Thailand’s reputation.

“People these days damage Thai people’s reputation … Help share this video so that this man won’t be able to live in the society,” wrote Somboon on his Facebook post, which was set to a “Public” audience.

Police Col. Thaksin Pochakorn, commander of a local police station, said Pornthep surrendered himself to police on Tuesday and was charged with physical assault.

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1452070819

-- Khaosod English 2016-01-06

[Lobber]

Such an angry and emotionally disturbed people due to the restrictive culture and hierarchal society, and officially having the smallest todgers in the World.

-- Hey you ain't met Minty yet in Soi 4 LOL

[Lobber]

An Somchai went home with honey!!!! , <deleted> am I dong here??

[balo]

"Pornthep Petchsutthi confessed to assaulting the foreigner on Jan. 1 because the motorcyclist flashed a middle finger at him, police said."

That would probably work in the west without any incidents , but in Thailand it's considered to be very rude and could actually put your life in danger, In Chiang Mai a few years ago another foreigner on a bike was shot dead because he flashed his finger on someone.

I did the same mistake myself inside a shopping mall , during my first year in Thailand. I was upset because someone tried to trick me to buy expensive stuff, so I flashed my finger at him , stupid mistake. I had to run for my life. He was chasing me down the soi,