A Phuket tuk tuk driver said an Israeli family used vulgar language, threatened him and attempted to attack him with a concrete slab after he refused to allow them to join a trip booked by Australian passengers.
The driver shared footage of the confrontation on social media, which was later reposted by the Phuket Times Facebook page. The video subsequently attracted widespread attention online.
The footage showed five members of an Israeli family standing beside a tuk tuk on the roadside. One family member could be heard repeatedly using an expletive, while the driver responded that he did not want passengers behaving in that manner before leaving the scene.
According to the driver’s account, the family initially approached him to ask about the fare for a tuk tuk journey. The two sides were unable to agree on a price, so the driver continued waiting for other passengers.
An Australian couple later arrived and booked the driver to take them to the Bangla area. The couple boarded the tuk tuk before the Israeli family returned and asked to join the same journey.
The driver said he refused the request and directed the family to another tuk tuk parked nearby. According to his account, the family became angry and an argument followed.
The driver further alleged that members of the family attempted to stop the Australian couple from travelling with him. He said he intervened to protect his passengers before the dispute continued.
According to the driver, one member of the family then attempted to attack him with a concrete slab found beside the road. He said the man was unable to lift the slab because it was too heavy, and no physical assault took place. The member also spat on the road during the dispute.
The driver said he posted the footage because he strongly disapproved of the Israeli family’s behaviour. He added that he believed such conduct should not occur in Thailand’s tourist destinations.
The incident prompted criticism from social media users, although the dispute remains based on the driver’s account. There is no reports that the family responded publicly to the driver’s allegations.
The driver has not disclosed whether he plans to report the incident to police or any tourism-related agency.
A separate incident involving Israeli tourists was reported in Bangkok on August 9. A Thai bodybuilder and his wife alleged that a group of Israeli tourists repeatedly banged on their hotel room door at around 4am as a prank and made loud noises.
The couple criticised the reported behaviour and called on Israeli tourists to behave appropriately while travelling. The bodybuilder also said that several of his followers had shared similar negative experiences involving Israeli nationals with him.
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