Student arrested over 'trying to strangle' taxi driver with shoelaces after he couldn't pay fare

[webfact]

Student arrested over 'trying to strangle' taxi driver with shoelaces after he could not pay fare
By Coconuts Bangkok


The taxi driver crashed the car to save his life. Photo: Sanook

BANGKOK: -- A 20-year-old passenger was arrested after he allegedly attempted to strangle a Bangkok taxi driver with his shoelaces because he could not afford the fare.

According to police, university student Suriya Chaiyamart hopped in the taxi driven by Natthawut Chuwatthana in front of Bua Kaew Kasorn Temple in Pathum Thani and asked the driver to take him to his girlfriend's apartment in Lat Phrao soi 83 on Wednesday night.

But when they arrived at his destination, Suriya said he didn't have the fare, so he borrowed Natthawut’s cell phone to call his girlfriend. She would not come out because they were having a fight.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/02/12/student-arrested-over-trying-strangle-taxi-driver-shoelaces-after-he-could-not-pay-fare


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-02-12

[lust]

Run from taxi driver or kill him? Hmmm.. This guy will go far in life..

[trogers]

Lucky girlfriend! She could have been his second victim.

[Upnotover]

".....arrested him for attempted robbery"

?

[ezzra]

At first glance I thought that this happened to a taxi driver in Pattaya... but no, yes, sure,

those pesky driver can make you angry at times, but no enough to kill them though......

[jaywalker]

Surprising that he didn't blame this on drugs or too much GTA.

I once faced an astonishingly large taxi fare in Hiroshima.

We handled it like gentlemen with the help of my hotel manager/translator and I paid him the next day. Foreign ATM's were few and far between there at the time.

Edited February 12, 2016 by jaywalker

[Misterwhisper]

"Police were able to track down Suriya within hours and arrested him for attempted robbery."

Why not attempted murder?

How expensive could the taxi fare possibly have been to justify killing someone? 300 Baht?

Idiot says that it was "spontaneous action" triggered by his quarrels with his girlfriend and his lack of money. We all act spontaneously sometimes, but never ever does it cross our minds to... oh well, we aren't psychopaths, I guess.

[lostinisaan]

I never pay for my taxi rides. But always buyin' new shoe strings is gettin' expensive after a while.

[SABloke]

I blame his shoes (following the trend today of blaming games and all)

[FloridaExport]

He forgot to mention that he has been playing too much GTA. He should be left off with a stern warning.

Side note: This forum could really use a dedicated sarcasm font.

Edited February 12, 2016 by FloridaExport

[NCC1701A]

"...arrested after he allegedly attempted to strangle a Bangkok taxi driver..."

"Police were able to track down Suriya within hours and arrested him for attempted robbery."

i guess Thais don't understand the concept of Great Bodily Harm or attempted murder.

it seems Thais are arrested and charged for the lesser crime, which led to the attempted murder.

What is Assault with Intent to do Great Bodily Harm Less than Murder?

Great bodily harm (GBH) is a serious injury that can harm the function or health of a person’s body. (LIKE BREATHING)

At trial, the prosecutor must prove all the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. First, it must be proved that the defendant tried to physically harm another individual. Next, that the defendant either had (or believed to have) the ability to cause the harm. Third, the prosecution must show the defendant intended to cause the great bodily harm. For this crime, the victim does not actually need to be injured. However, if the victim is injured, the jury can consider if the defendant intended it.

The maximum penalty for this felony is 10 years in prison, a fine up to $5,000.00, or both. Assaulting a person by suffocation or strangulation (smothering or choking) also carries the same punishment.

Edited February 12, 2016 by NCC1701A

[Strangebrew]

Thai version of shoestring budget it seems?

[ratcatcher]

At first glance I thought that this happened to a taxi driver in Pattaya... but no, yes, sure,

those pesky driver can make you angry at times, but no enough to kill them though......

"............those pesky driver can make you angry........"

But, in this case, the little dipshit passenger didn't have the money on him to pay the driver, so he decided to try and kill him. Well, by that time, I guess the bloody taxi driver was rightfully angry.

The taxi driver would, in this instance, appear to be 100% in the right. I hope the jerk also has to pay for the damage to the taxi.

[Fookhaht]

I blame his shoes (following the trend today of blaming games and all)

...or guns...

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

I have to pay the taxi, really hard to kill someone (or attempt to rob them) with a soft soled loafer.

[Ks45672]

If more people did this, taxis would think twice before taking the pi$$...

[Maggusoil]

The creativity of these people is astounding.

[berybert]

Maybe he has heard the saying 'travelling on a shoestring' and misinterpreted it.

[Lupatria]

Forgive him he was not aware of the PM's core values.

[Emster23]

I don't believe the shoestring angle. It is not easy to find shoestrings in Pattaya. Went to well know shoe chain looking for some: "No have". hmm so I'd have to buy new pair of shoes to get replacement...

[dotpoom]

That's a bit of a turnaround...make more sense if it was the taxi driver trying to strangle the passenger for not having the fare.....Seriously though...hope the driver recovers from the ordeal quickly.

[SOTIRIOS]

...this seems to be a common reaction to problems here......

...if it is not pathological....then what is it.....

...and it is epidemic....

[spidermike007]

The little twerp punk man child was arrested for attempted robbery, instead of attempted murder. Could the laws in Thailand possibly be weaker? What's up with letting these two bit punks go all the time? No wonder they commit these acts. Has the Thai nation ever heard of a concept called a deterrent? Why are the police and the legal system here so terribly soft? This scum should be spending the next 20 years of his life in a high security prison. Will he serve time? Very unlikely.

[phitsanulokjohn]

This guys actions were simply wrong.I'm a very semi retired Uk cabbie with over 30 years experience.If someone a'int got the fare it a'int gonna bankrupt me.Sometimes they ask can they drop the fare in the office tomorrow&for some tomorrow never comes,but others keep their word and drop it in along with a decent tip.People are people.

I have to say though,in Thailand in 9 out of 10 cabbie/passenger disputes it's the cabbie that's the perpertrator of the crime.If I in the Uk was accused of anything whatsoever I'm immediately suspended pending a final outcome.A situation I'm proud to say has never occured to me in those 30 years.

[jerojero]

Another utterly stupid incident. Too many happening, too many readily reported in news and on TV.

[007cableguy]

Good to see Mummy is going to bail her little munchkins !!

[Ulic]

Run from taxi driver or kill him? Hmmm.. This guy will go far in life..

Well.....He will go as far as the nearest jail.

[klauskunkel]

Idiot says that it was "spontaneous action" triggered by his quarrels with his girlfriend and his lack of money. We all act spontaneously sometimes, but never ever does it cross our minds to... oh well, we aren't psychopaths, I guess.

Nope, this was planned, because he did not wear slippers! Premeditated, I say, wearing murder weapons on his feet!

[springheeled jack]

he tried to strangle the taxi driver that is attempted murder not attempted robbery I know this is Thailand let us get the facts straight the prime factor here he couldn't pay the fare so he attempted to murder the man in order to avoid paying the fare end of story.

[springheeled jack]

one way to avoid paying a taxi fare take your shoelaces and try and strangle the taxi driver.