A foreign man refused to pay a 300 baht tuk tuk fare in Phuket and attacked the Thai driver earlier today, July 2, leaving the victim requiring ten stitches for a wound to the mouth.
The incident reportedly took place at around 5am and was captured on video by a witness. The footage was later shared on the Phuket Times Facebook page.
The video shows a tuk tuk driver wearing a black T-shirt confronting a foreign man dressed in a white shirt. The driver was recording the encounter on his phone when the man allegedly knocked the device away and punched him in the face. The driver was seen falling backwards onto the ground following the strike.
According to Phuket Times, the tuk tuk driver had picked up the man and two foreign women from Bangla Road. The group requested transport to Soi Na Nai, with the fare agreed at 300 baht.
A fare dispute began upon arrival, where, according to the reports, no payment had been made when the foreign man left the scene to collect a pickup truck before returning to collect the two women.
The tuk tuk driver approached the group again to request payment. An argument then broke out between the driver and the foreign man before the confrontation turned physical.
The driver, whose name has not been disclosed, told Phuket Times he suffered a mouth injury that required 10 stitches.
He added that he managed to record the attacker’s face during the incident. It remains unclear whether a police complaint has been filed. The driver said he felt frustrated by the incident, adding that he was trying to earn a living.
Phuket has seen similar incidents involving violence against tuk tuk drivers in recent years. In March, a foreign man assaulted his girlfriend inside a tuk tuk before reportedly attacking the driver who intervened.
Another case was reported last year when three foreigners attacked a Phuket tuk tuk driver during a parking dispute.
The story Foreigner attacks Phuket tuk tuk driver after fare dispute as seen on Thaiger News.
