Rogue taxi driver or innocent? Online court decides but police not so sure

[webfact]

Taxi Driver Assaults Woman Over 20 Baht Fare
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


A screenshot of the CCTV footage.

BANGKOK — A cab driver admitted to attempting to drag a woman away from her apartment building at 2am, an action he justified by saying she owed him 20 baht in fare.

For the altercation, footage of which was captured by the apartment’s CCTV system and shared online, Suracha Jenjab, 49, has been charged with assault, police said.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1463030553


-- Khaosod English 2016-05-12

[jacko45k]

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I actually believe the taxi driver.

Yes, I think that is likely... obviously we have at least one liar.

[Roomuck]

I am with the police on this one.

After reading the OP I also am not sure what happened. 220? 40? 20? 50 and some other change?

[BigBadGeordie]

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I actually believe the taxi driver.

Yes, I think that is likely... obviously we have at least one liar.

Maybe we will nver know the truth, but the Police Col. makes a valid point IMHO.

Col. Kanyachol Intraram, commander of Min Buri Police Station, said Suracha has been charged with assault.

Although Kanyachol said he sympathized with Suracha for fearing that Orathai would not pay the fare, he said Suracha should not have resorted to violence as seen in the footage.

“He should have pressed the doorbell, or called the police, or called the housekeepers,” Kanyachol said. “It’s not his duty to manhandle and drag her. It was a clear case of assault.”

[harleyclarkey]

It shows how amazing stupid people can be, that they can do what ever they want. They are masters in ' take the Law in own hands '.

Nobody educated these people???

This is a racist post. It's obvious who is ignorant.

Would people like you.....racist again?....stop abusing the racist red card?

[dotpoom]

My maths don't appear to be as good as I used to think they were?

[tails]

The minute the driver laid hands on her he was in the wrong.

This comment is the winner....

Is an assault charge really worth 20 baht? Are we entitled to grab people because of 20 baht? No and no.

If his 20 baht was so important he should call the police, not grab her, he knows where she lives.

[sambum]

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I actually believe the taxi driver.

I would too if she had been dropped off in the street somewhere etc..but at what's obviously her apartment she would be easily found and caught if doing a runner..this is discounting she says she left her bag in the taxi...can't prove that from behind a keyboard lol..

Who is to say it's 'obviously her apartment'? She waited until his back was turned and went to recover her bag in order to do a runner - and still didn't have the money she owed. If her intentions were honest, she would have explained her situation to the driver before the journey.

Maybe she thought 200 baht would have been enough for the fare?

[cpofc]

with this extreme weather I have been spending far too much time inside, in the air-con, at the computer. I am going to have to wean myself off here again soon.

So the Senior RTP Copper, who one would expect to have an acute nose for bullsh_t, as senior coppers do, sympathises with the cabbie. He reckons she is pulling a rort and doing a runner too. He should know, unlike people on here, he was the man on the spot.

However, the video evidence is conclusive and the Copper has no choice. . The Cabbie has committed an act of assault.

He should have called the Police instead of taking matters into his own hands. Yeah right, and a squad of RTP would have been right around there in a New York minute!

All those taking the moral and legal high ground, are condemning the cabbie. He broke the law!!! He took the law into his own hands!!! Like this is something you have never wanted to do yourself, and it never happens anywhere else?

All this for 20 Baht. Seems ridiculous on the part of the cabbie, does it not. But for some. Like me included, I hate being dudded. it is not about the amount. It is about the principle. I get very upset when I get dudded. Especially when you work your bum off day and night to earn an honest quid.

The poor old cabbie, he can't take a trick right now.

Yes there are laws, but they don't always translate into justice.

[Doc46]

Something wrong , she had 20 Baht then she is to get 200 Baht more, NOT 20 Baht .There is no excuse for Violence The Taxi driver is wrong she can get him for assault She is wrong for trying to flea and not paying,,,,,Get a F,,,,,g Judge to sort it

[arjunadawn]

It shows how amazing stupid people can be, that they can do what ever they want. They are masters in ' take the Law in own hands '.

Nobody educated these people???

This is a racist post. It's obvious who is ignorant.

Clearly projection... "racist?" "These people" are male and female, old and young, short and shorter, driver and customer... yet a poster presumes "these" people references race? The recourse to labeling another "racist" will reveal true thinking every time.

There is a reason it is universally known that liars always presume others are lying and thieves always suspect someone of stealing from them. So it follows...

But you are correct, "It's obvious who is ignorant."

[mikiea]

The taxi driver did what they all do, trying to recover their money, subtitle about it, they were never known to be,

the girl probably not seeing the driver around was trying to do a runner, like most locals will,

so this situation got into ugly and awkward ending, all the police has to do to make them apologies to each

other and give the man his fare and send them both home....

make them apologies to each other ? really ? what if..... the lady in question was your mother , sister , wife ? why grab her from behind , why try to drag out of apartment ? you see things thru rose colored baby glasses . a runner for 20 baht ? most locals will ? driver knows where u live ? she is lucky to be alive .

Edited May 12, 2016 by mikiea

[RWA]

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I actually believe the taxi driver.

Yes, I think that is likely... obviously we have at least one liar.

Maybe we will nver know the truth, but the Police Col. makes a valid point IMHO.

Col. Kanyachol Intraram, commander of Min Buri Police Station, said Suracha has been charged with assault.

Although Kanyachol said he sympathized with Suracha for fearing that Orathai would not pay the fare, he said Suracha should not have resorted to violence as seen in the footage.

“He should have pressed the doorbell, or called the police, or called the housekeepers,” Kanyachol said. “It’s not his duty to manhandle and drag her. It was a clear case of assault.”

correct!

you and Col. Kanyacho are absolutely right!

However, the girl didn't seem to be fair either. She should just wait by the taxi and apologize for not having the full amount of the fare (as it is evident she could not / have not pay him the whole (and perhaps even fair) amount of money. She could try to borrow from a neighbor or make some arrangement with the taxi driver instead of trying to sneak away. She also should be charged along with the driver.

They both were wrong in the way they handled the situation that was not any critical or difficult ...

[RWA]

The minute the driver laid hands on her he was in the wrong.

This comment is the winner....

Is an assault charge really worth 20 baht? Are we entitled to grab people because of 20 baht? No and no.

If his 20 baht was so important he should call the police, not grab her, he knows where she lives.

I understood that she only gave him twenty and fifty Baht, instead of 220 and tried to get through the door into the building, when he grabbed her by the hand before they both passed through the door inside the corridor ...

He could not really know where she lives, but he certainly could take whatever she got and asked her for an ID, exchange the phone numbers, give her some time to call and pay the rest, otherwise call police or anything else but to go physical on her

[Mudcrab]

with this extreme weather I have been spending far too much time inside, in the air-con, at the computer. I am going to have to wean myself off here again soon.

So the Senior RTP Copper, who one would expect to have an acute nose for bullsh_t, as senior coppers do, sympathises with the cabbie. He reckons she is pulling a rort and doing a runner too. He should know, unlike people on here, he was the man on the spot.

However, the video evidence is conclusive and the Copper has no choice. . The Cabbie has committed an act of assault.

He should have called the Police instead of taking matters into his own hands. Yeah right, and a squad of RTP would have been right around there in a New York minute!

All those taking the moral and legal high ground, are condemning the cabbie. He broke the law!!! He took the law into his own hands!!! Like this is something you have never wanted to do yourself, and it never happens anywhere else?

All this for 20 Baht. Seems ridiculous on the part of the cabbie, does it not. But for some. Like me included, I hate being dudded. it is not about the amount. It is about the principle. I get very upset when I get dudded. Especially when you work your bum off day and night to earn an honest quid.

The poor old cabbie, he can't take a trick right now.

Yes there are laws, but they don't always translate into justice.

On Pattaya Beach Road?

[Mudcrab]

The minute the driver laid hands on her he was in the wrong.

This comment is the winner....

Is an assault charge really worth 20 baht? Are we entitled to grab people because of 20 baht? No and no.

If his 20 baht was so important he should call the police, not grab her, he knows where she lives.

I understood that she only gave him twenty and fifty Baht, instead of 220 and tried to get through the door into the building, when he grabbed her by the hand before they both passed through the door inside the corridor ...

He could not really know where she lives, but he certainly could take whatever she got and asked her for an ID, exchange the phone numbers, give her some time to call and pay the rest, otherwise call police or anything else but to go physical on her

They still do that in Kansas?

[Mudcrab]

self deleted - off topic

Edited May 12, 2016 by Mudcrab

[Happy Grumpy]

Remember the American that was hacked to death by a taxi driver with a machete over 50 baht a year or two ago.

Don't mess around with a poor Thai and their money.

Any update on that case?

[cpofc]

with this extreme weather I have been spending far too much time inside, in the air-con, at the computer. I am going to have to wean myself off here again soon.

So the Senior RTP Copper, who one would expect to have an acute nose for bullsh_t, as senior coppers do, sympathises with the cabbie. He reckons she is pulling a rort and doing a runner too. He should know, unlike people on here, he was the man on the spot.

However, the video evidence is conclusive and the Copper has no choice. . The Cabbie has committed an act of assault.

He should have called the Police instead of taking matters into his own hands. Yeah right, and a squad of RTP would have been right around there in a New York minute!

All those taking the moral and legal high ground, are condemning the cabbie. He broke the law!!! He took the law into his own hands!!! Like this is something you have never wanted to do yourself, and it never happens anywhere else?

All this for 20 Baht. Seems ridiculous on the part of the cabbie, does it not. But for some. Like me included, I hate being dudded. it is not about the amount. It is about the principle. I get very upset when I get dudded. Especially when you work your bum off day and night to earn an honest quid.

The poor old cabbie, he can't take a trick right now.

Yes there are laws, but they don't always translate into justice.

On Pattaya Beach Road?

Nice try, but no cigar.

Ask me one on sport

[gemguy]

Once again:

Is this sort of story supposed to be newsworthy????

A story about a taxi cab driver and a passenger arguing over less than 10 dollars and the story goes international.

Next we will see international headlines about a Go Go Bar girl and her customer arguing over 50 dollars and caught on camera in the lobby of a hotel in Bangkok.......lol ...which probably happens far more often anyhow....lol

Cheers

[Bluespunk]

"The driver later told the police that he had done nothing wrong."

Yeah right...

What information are you privy to that no one else is? Heaven forbid you are just muck raking.

You saw the picture where he was dragging her away from the door, yeah?

Heaven forbid you could try thinking.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1463030553

Edited May 13, 2016 by Bluespunk

[MediaWatcher]

OK, here we have so many "views" what you forget is, assault is assault, the driver had not right to touch her, that is what the police are for, go complain to them, as we all know, if they wont help, do what you usually do, blockage the police station.

[Sawan Chan 7]

I would never believe a pretty 24 year old Thai woman

What a strange thing to say.

Is it the fact they are pretty, 24, or you think all Thais are liars?

[White Christmas13]

The passenger in the taxi, Orathai Sukhbanthit, 24, told police she had arrived home at VVS Mansion in Minburi around 2am Sunday but had told the driver that she only had 20 baht of the 220 baht fare and would go upstairs to get the remaining twenty.

So how much was the fare 40 baht ?

[Sawan Chan 7]

It shows how amazing stupid people can be, that they can do what ever they want. They are masters in ' take the Law in own hands '.

Nobody educated these people???

This is a racist post. It's obvious who is ignorant.

Clearly projection... "racist?" "These people" are male and female, old and young, short and shorter, driver and customer... yet a poster presumes "these" people references race? The recourse to labeling another "racist" will reveal true thinking every time.

There is a reason it is universally known that liars always presume others are lying and thieves always suspect someone of stealing from them. So it follows...

But you are correct, "It's obvious who is ignorant."

Quite. I really hate hearing people say these people.

There is a reason people think others are ignorant?

[cpofc]

Been doing a lot of thinking and reminiscing about Taxis recently. Taxis are certainly a very popular topic these days. Thailand's toursim industry rely on them very much.

Taxis are such an important part of a country's society, culture and infrastructure, They are the perfect ambassadors and often a yardstick. They tend to more honestly reflect the current moods and attitudes prevailing in society at the time. Very likely that the first person you meet and talk to on a personal level when you first enter a foreign country, is a Cabbie. It sure was for me. And, as they say, you don't get a second chance at a first impression.

I have infinitely more good stories to tell of my experiences with cabbies than I do bad ones. Very few bad stories actually. Am I just lucky for I have been catching cabs in Sth East and Far East Asia (plus some other places) since I was 16 YO. I must have used many, many thousands of them. Rickshaws, Tri-Shaws, Samlors, Jeepneys, you name it, all manner of vehicles and modes of transport for hire..

For a visitor, especially a 'newbie', a good cabbie is worth his weight in gold. He deserves to be rewarded too, albeit within reason. But some folks are just plain stingy.

I reckon I could write volumes of good taxi stories. Even friendships I made. I can still remember some of their names! When berthing at the 'Dolphins' in the middle of the river at Khlong Toei, the 'taxis' would be waiting on the Wharf for you to catch the longtailed boats ashore. They were big 'Yank Tanks' mostly, Buick, Dodge, Pontiac, Chev etc., mostly privately owned and operated. You would keep the same car and driver for the entire time you were in country. ( If he was any good of course). The bloke could make or break your visit to the Kingdom.

I salute all the good cabbies of this world!

I wonder how many would get on if the taxis here still had no meters and every trip had to be negotiated.

[fey]

scumbag. guilty of assault and battery.

they cant touch you even if you walk. it becomes a civil matter they can take to court if needed or call the police.

anything physical you can defend youself just like being attacked by a stranger.