Recently, a Singaporean couple had a nasty experience in Bangkok when a cabbie pulled a knife on them.
This was over a relatively minor dispute on their fare.
After seeking police assistance, the cabbie has now been fined S$114 (3,000 baht).
Source: Matichon Online
His licence was also suspended for three months.
The incident was investigated by Thailand’s Department of Land Transport and the Thai police, reported Thai news portal The Thaiger.
The cabbie, identified as Thawin Chong-ngam, was found to have committed a number of offences under the country’s Land Transport Act of 1979.
One of them is carrying a knife without justifiable reason.
For that, he was fined S$38 (1,000 baht).
Source: Matichon Online
He was also found to have not used his taxi meter and behaved disrespectfully towards passengers.
For these offences, the police fined him S$76 (2,000 baht).
Thus, his fines amounted to a total of S$114 (3,000 baht).
100 points was also deducted from Thawin’s driving licence, according to The Thaiger.
This caused him to be suspended for 90 days.
He will also be made to attend a training course on taxi rules and regulations, which lasts three hours.
Source: Matichon Online
The incident came to light when TikTok user @ntannyy uploaded a series of videos of the ordeal.
Speaking to MS News, the OP, Ms Naomi Tan, said she and her husband asked their hotel concierge to get a taxi for them as they were rushing to catch a flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport.
As is the fashion in Bangkok, this would mean having the hotel staff flag a taxi from the road.
They then agreed to a fixed taxi fare of S$15.25 (400 baht) after the driver declined to use his meter.
However, Bangkok taxis are supposed to be metered, The Thaiger pointed out.
Nevertheless, after the Singaporeans paid the cabbie, he gave them less change than they’d expected, given the fare they agreed on.
When asked why, he said, “highway” — seemingly indicating that he’d charged extra because he took the highway.
Source: @ntannyy on TikTok
However, The Thaiger noted that taxi drivers should ask their passengers first before taking the toll road, and inform them of the extra charges.
Non-toll roads are also available, but take longer.
Anyway, the couple argued with the cabbie, who then went to the driver’s seat and pulled out a knife from the front door’s compartment.
Source: @ntannyy on TikTok
While he stashed it away after a few seconds, this was unsurprisingly interpreted as a threat by the Singaporeans.
However, Ms Tan told MS News that the driver was actually “quite meek” when he pulled out the knife.
Thankfully, he also didn’t put up much of a fight and eventually agreed to speak to the authorities to trash things out.
After they approached an airport security guard and engaged in intense discussion, he reluctantly handed over the remaining change.
Inside the airport, the couple filed a police report, and received an update from the Suvarnabhumi Airport Tourist Police days later.
In their email, the tourist police stated that they had interrogated the taxi driver in question.
After taking him to the local police station, they also informed the Department of Land Transport, which can prosecute violators of road-related laws.
When Singaporeans venture overseas, we might take safety for granted, as our country is so safe.
Thus, Ms Tan and her husband must have gotten quite a fright indeed.
The incident should remind us to always be careful when travelling.
Do you think, however, that the cabbie was suitably punished for what he did? Do share your views with us below.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Matichon Online and @ntannyy on TikTok.
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