Thai Driver Charged For Allegedly Threatening Singaporean Tourist Over Additional Fee
When in a foreign country, disputes can sometimes occur over a disagreement on the payment of various fees.
These situations, especially when they escalate into an actual fight, can thus be frightening.
This was the case in Thailand recently, where a driver allegedly threatened a Singaporean tourist over his refusal to pay a 100 baht (S$3.85) fee.
He has since been charged with intimidation.
Thai driver asks Singaporean tourist for fee
Posting to Facebook on 3 July, police in Phuket revealed details of the case.
They stated that according to the driver, he picked up the tourist, Faris Bin Abdulkadir Basharahil, from the Pak-Up Hostel in Krabi, along with 11 other passengers.
When informed that he would be transporting them to Grand Supicha City Hotel, the driver said the company would only allow him to convey them to Phuket’s town area.
To send them to the hotel, he asked for an additional 100 baht (S$3.85), which Faris disagreed with.
This resulted in an argument between them in front of a café on Ratsada Road.
Threatens him during dispute
Footage of the argument has since emerged on social media, which led the police to search for the driver.
The video starts by showing the bus parked by the roadside, with Faris standing beside two suitcases.
Source: Facebook
The driver in the red shirt then advances towards him with an object in hand, raising his hand as if he was about to land a hit on Faris.
Faris reacts instinctively by ducking a potential blow, after which the driver points at him and retreats to his vehicle.
Source: Facebook
He waits outside the café with his luggage before the driver returns again, shouting at him.
The vehicle’s door subsequently opens, revealing the other passengers staring at the pair, at which point the video ends.
Source: Facebook
Police charge driver for intimidation
Following the incident, Faris went to the Mueang Phuket police station to file a report against the driver.
Source: Facebook
The Straits Times (ST) reports that local police chief Pratuang Pholmana has since identified him as Poramet Soraket, an employee of the Hatyai World Tour agency.
On 3 July, he surrendered himself to the Mueang Phuket police station and cooperated with the investigation.
Colonel Pratuang also mentioned that he had refrained from escalating the dispute into a physical attack.
In addition, Faris disagreed with how Poramet unloaded his luggage from the vehicle. The driver became furious when he commented on it and took a picture.
The object he held onto throughout the incident was a rubber hose, police clarified.
Charged for “frightening a person by use of threat”, which he had confessed to at the station, Poramet faces a 1,000 baht (S$38.52) fine and a one-month jail term.
Information on his involvement in the case has also been reported to Phuket’s transport authority.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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