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

[djayz]

20 years old and already he has attempted to murder a fellow human being because of a taxi fare?!?!?!

This lad needs to be licked away now before he tries this s#*t again.

[Basil B]

Have to say for a minute I was going to praise the action of the student thinking of the way some taxi drivers rip people off... but still it was wrong and luckily the driver is OK.

[Fookhaht]

LET ME COUNT THE WAYS I LOVE THEE:

Refusing to take passengers...

Refusing to stop even though the "available" light is on...

Refusing to turn on the meter...

Claiming the meter is broken. Passenger threatens to get out. Suddenly the meter "works"...

Turning on the meter but extracting a "surcharge" at the end of a trip....

Turning off the meter part way through the trip...

Driving around and around the destination...

Getting lost but refusing to listen to the passenger's directions...

Claiming not to have change for 100 or 500 baht...

Driving at insane speeds...

Darting dangerously from lane to lane...

Smoking...

Making you exit the taxi 500m to 1km from or after your destination...

Playing the radio so loudly you can't make a phone call or converse with a fellow passenger...

Threatening the customer who dares take a photo of the cab's license..

**********************

I have experienced all of these adorable behaviors in just over 10 years of Bangkok taxi-riding.

This kid has put feet to what many have only dreamed of doing.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Fookhaht

[Phatcharanan]

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

I must have missed the part in the story where it says the taxi driver was taking the pi$$

[bangon04]

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...

I don't think I know any 20 year old Thai males who could tie a shoelace without help from their mother, so the story is not entirely credible.

[Traveller45]

"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.

I do such things all the time, just the methods vary! "Nooow... how about that discount, at second thought...?" I think it has a moralizing influence on the business... Poor guys in the taxis, really. Exposed to all kinds of sickos and perverts. Something would have to happen to protect them, I don't know, a hidden emergency button for example

Edited February 12, 2016 by Traveller45

[ableguy]

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...

Try your local bata shoe shop.

[arrowsdawdle]

He'd of had no recourse if he'd worn flip-flops or loafers.

[chilli42]

"...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 persons 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.

Stop making sense!

[jacko45k]

Well at least the girlfriend had some sense, not to let this moron in!

I must carry some rope in case I see a situation like this.

[canuckamuck]

20 years old and already he has attempted to murder a fellow human being because of a taxi fare?!?!?!

This lad needs to be licked away now before he tries this s#*t again.

What an unusual approach to rehabilitation.

[kiwikeith]

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

?

And mummy bear wants to bail him out!

I would have thought a psychiatric report would be required before any consideration for bail

The GF better hide.

Attempted murder, was this charge not considered or will it follow later after mummy bails the bratt.?

[Lupatria]

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...

I don't think I know any 20 year old Thai males who could tie a shoelace without help from their mother, so the story is not entirely credible.

What do you expect? Remember- there was a former vice premier who needed an assistant to take off his slippers.

[Transporter]

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

?

Yes because the shoe laces thing was just a natural reaction to the frustration of it all and we should offer sympathy!

[Transporter]

"...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 persons 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.

Stop making sense!

Did someone miss the request not to keep changing the font?

[Transporter]

I wonder what the charge would have been if the passenger had been a Farang?

[Transporter]

LET ME COUNT THE WAYS I LOVE THEE:

Refusing to take passengers...

Refusing to stop even though the "available" light is on...

Refusing to turn on the meter...

Claiming the meter is broken. Passenger threatens to get out. Suddenly the meter "works"...

Turning on the meter but extracting a "surcharge" at the end of a trip....

Turning off the meter part way through the trip...

Driving around and around the destination...

Getting lost but refusing to listen to the passenger's directions...

Claiming not to have change for 100 or 500 baht...

Driving at insane speeds...

Darting dangerously from lane to lane...

Smoking...

Making you exit the taxi 500m to 1km from or after your destination...

Playing the radio so loudly you can't make a phone call or converse with a fellow passenger...

Threatening the customer who dares take a photo of the cab's license..

**********************

I have experienced all of these adorable behaviors in just over 10 years of Bangkok taxi-riding.

This kid has put feet to what many have only dreamed of doing.

Stopping to re-fuel while the meter is still running in a long queue

Stopping on the hard shoulder to pour waste oil from the catch can under the bonnet back into the knackered engine

Driver not matching the photo on the licence and often at least 10 years younger than the balding old guy in the photo.