Phuket Tuk-Tuk Driver Gets Suspended Sentence For Attack On Tourist

phl · July 2, 2012

This seems like a completely fair outcome. The Egyptian was being a jerk. He didn't deserve to be punched, but it does seem that he provoked the incident. I don't understand why so many people in this forum continue to stay in Thailand when they seem to hate everything about it.

I do not hate Thailand, but i do hate Phuket Tuk Tuks so i do not live in Phuket

And how do you arrive at conclusion that people hate Thailand when they do not agree with Tuk Tuk behavior in Phuket?

telldem · July 2, 2012

Last year a taxi driver in Phuket pulled a knife on me after I refused to pay him 600 Baht to go 2 kilometers.

Sent from my iPhone 4S using Thaivisa Connect App

sportsman69 · July 2, 2012

A tuk tuk is a 3 wheeler and accomadates 3 to 4 passengers max. Amazingly, the driver accepted 6.

Even more amazing though is, that the Egyptians managed 10 people into it. Love to see a pic of that

The fare of 40 Baht/person is ridiculous of course.

No. A Phuket tuk tuk is a small truck. You can fit 10 people in it, especially if some are children as it appears may have been the case here, and one or two ride in the cab.

I was hoping someone was awake, Patong doesn't have 3 wheeled tuk tuks like the rest of the country.
Only these imported Japanese Daihatsu Hijets. They seat 6 adults at a squeeze but only have 600CC of grunt.

Everyone calls them Tuk Tuk anyway.....Great photo.

Wrong. Totally disagree. That's the 7 you see on the near side, there's 7 on the other side + 2 in the front if the driver chooses to kick his Mia noi out and make her wait, probably to hook a john for a cheap trick, until he gets back to the rank.

They have boosted the output up to 660 cc so they aint no slouch down a 1 in 2 slope. Around Patong, flat country, licence to print money.

That's why I believe the going rate to buy one of these shit boxes with yellow plate second-hand is around 1.2 million Baht

In reply to poster #61 Philip Cook

" Limit the number of passengers to the number of approved seatbelts with seats on the vehicle. "

Must be joking. You obviously dont live in Phuket. I defy you to find a seat belt in any public service passenger vehicle except for the driver and in exceptional cases, the front seat passenger.

" Ladies and gentleman, I hope you have enjoyed your journey with us today, survivors to the left, walking wounded to the right. Those in bodybags please remain prone until assisted by an attendant. "

cobra · July 2, 2012

Uh - was this a Tuk-Tuk - i mean the crummy little, about to de-weld itself, 3-wheeled motorbike-engined joke with the belt on a drum rear-brakes ? TEN PEOPLE in one of those ? Or was it one of the bigger things ? Do people use the term Tuk-Tuk for very different vehicles in different parts of the country, because the one we use it for around here in Isaan - no way 10 people can even think about getting in; unless they are midget-sized. Enlighten me pls...

As for the price - sounds like the driver had a reason to get fractious if the deal was being reneged on - don't condone a swipe round the bonce, but can see how it all got out of hand. Moral : don't try to cheat taxi-guys or tuk-tuk jockeys - that's their job ! ;-)

Most likely a baht bus, ( a small pick-up truck with seats in the back), your not getting 10 people in a three wheeled tuk.

Edited July 2, 2012 by cobra

lordpeps · July 2, 2012

since when did it matter how many were in the vehicle. i've taken tuk tuk's by myself for the same price. on top of being charged 200 baht another time for a motorcycle taxi. when 5 years ago that motorcycle taxi would have been 10 baht.

NomadJoe · July 2, 2012

This seems like a completely fair outcome. The Egyptian was being a jerk. He didn't deserve to be punched, but it does seem that he provoked the incident. I don't understand why so many people in this forum continue to stay in Thailand when they seem to hate everything about it.

I love Thailand,and love living here. I hate the way the transport mafia can do whatever they want, demand whatever fare they want, park wherever they want, beat up whatever competition they want, refuse to take people where they want, monopolize whatever routes they want, beat up whatever tourists they want.

Edited July 2, 2012 by NomadJoe

NomadJoe · July 2, 2012

Uh - was this a Tuk-Tuk - i mean the crummy little, about to de-weld itself, 3-wheeled motorbike-engined joke with the belt on a drum rear-brakes ? TEN PEOPLE in one of those ? Or was it one of the bigger things ? Do people use the term Tuk-Tuk for very different vehicles in different parts of the country, because the one we use it for around here in Isaan - no way 10 people can even think about getting in; unless they are midget-sized. Enlighten me pls...

As for the price - sounds like the driver had a reason to get fractious if the deal was being reneged on - don't condone a swipe round the bonce, but can see how it all got out of hand. Moral : don't try to cheat taxi-guys or tuk-tuk jockeys - that's their job ! ;-)

Most likely a baht bus, ( a small pick-up truck with seats in the back), your not getting 10 people in a three wheeled tuk.

Must be the 10th post like this. If both of you check the comments in the thread you'll understand it's not a baht bus and not a 3 wheeled tuk tuk. Why isn't anyone reading the comments before they post?

Edited July 2, 2012 by NomadJoe

phl · July 2, 2012

10 more happy tourists. Keep up the good work.

Sorry, I don't agree. The deal was 6 tourists for 300bt. That's 50bt per tourist.

The tuk-tuk driver can count to 10, so can I.

He only wanted an extra 100bt for the other 4 tourists. That's a great discount. The Egyptian should have been ecstatic.

But no, the 10 rich tourists had to try and scam the tuk-tuk driver, didn't they!

For what? 100bt .... that's three freakin' dollars .... for heaven's sake!

Was it worth it for $3? They've probably spent $15,000 between the 10 of them for this holiday ... and they're making a fuss over $3.

I am THOROUGHLY SICK AND TIRED of this sort of attitude from foreigners towards Thai workers.

Wake up .... the lot of you!

I'm usually charged 70-100bt. I always tip a tuk-tuk driver a 20. I always tip a taxi driver a 50. For a buck or two, we both walk away with a smile.

We all tip in the US, UK, or Australia ... but when we get to Bangkok, rich tourists suddenly turn into misers, scrouges, and whingers.

Where is that tuk-tuk driver? I'll pay his fine - for the moral wrong - and shout him and his family dinner for standing up for himself!

3 cheers

I think you missed my sarcastic point.

What I meant was, there are now 10 tourist who have had a very negative holiday experience on Phuket and will go home and tell their friends. One of the 10 will probably bare a visable scar for the rest of his life (the cut requiring stitches) This is not what sustainable tourism is all about.

Do you actually live in Phuket? The minimum payment just to hop in the tuk-tuks here is 200 baht, not 70 - 100 baht.

Australia does not have a tipping culture.

You do not need to worry about him, he missed more than a point.

Not only he does not live in Phuket, I seriously doubt even lives in Thailand, but a 2 week millioner who most likely tips the driver yet spends days if not

months looking for the cheapest hotel.

For some reason he even believes that taxi's charge per person and not per ride or distance

djlest · July 2, 2012

what on earth is the point of using a TUK TUK anyway?

They have no meters, are over priced, are hardly faster than a taxi

<deleted> just stop using them and get a cab, or if 10 persons wanted to go 1km (x2 Cabs) it would still be less than 400 baht!!!

NomadJoe · July 2, 2012

Last year a taxi driver in Phuket pulled a knife on me after I refused to pay him 600 Baht to go 2 kilometers.

That is not an uncommon occurrence. Not everyone knows you need to negotiate beforehand. (Did you?)

One driver brandished a gun on a guy I know. These are dangerous people.

Edited July 2, 2012 by NomadJoe

phl · July 2, 2012

what on earth is the point of using a TUK TUK anyway?

They have no meters, are over priced, are hardly faster than a taxi

<deleted> just stop using them and get a cab, or if 10 persons wanted to go 1km (x2 Cabs) it would still be less than 400 baht!!!

Welcome to Thailand, Phuket does not have have cabs, not does Pattaya.

Well, Pattaya does have a few, though they NEVER use a meter and ALWAYS charge crazy rates

NamKangMan · July 2, 2012

There seems to be a lot of posts focusing on the "deal" that was agreed upon. The tourist stated 6 passengers when he really had 10.

Tuk-tuks have always charged for the distance of the journey, not the amount of passengers to be transported. So, it seems this is yet another new rip off to get more money out of larger groups.

Just for a laugh, I should approach a tuk-tuk driver and say, "How much for 10 people go 1 kilometer?" He say, "400 baht." I say, "I can't afford 400 baht so I tell my 9 friends to walk and I pay 40 baht for ride." :) :)

The last I heard it was a 200 baht minimum charge but someone has posted it's now a 300 baht minimum charge, So, that's the national average days wages in Thailand to drive you for a 1 kilometer ride that would take about 5 minutes.

NomadJoe · July 2, 2012

what on earth is the point of using a TUK TUK anyway?

They have no meters, are over priced, are hardly faster than a taxi

<deleted> just stop using them and get a cab, or if 10 persons wanted to go 1km (x2 Cabs) it would still be less than 400 baht!!!

Only option in Phuket. The mafia will not allow metered taxi's. When they finally introduced them at the airport, one was shot. If the metered taxi's pick-up outside the airport, they risk violent retribution. Years ago when they tried to start a baht bus along the beaches, the driver was pulled from his bus and beaten the first week of operation. That route license is still available, but unfilled.

NamKangMan · July 2, 2012

Couldn't resist to post this link again. The corruption involving transport on Phuket is the laughing stock on the world stage of tourist destinations. This clip is very funny. :)

NomadJoe · July 2, 2012

Tuk-tuks have always charged for the distance of the journey, not the amount of passengers to be transported.

Absolutely false. Adding to the fare for additional people has been they way they operate for years. The first thing they say after "Where you go?" is "How many people?"

The last I heard it was a 200 baht minimum charge but someone has posted it's now a 300 baht minimum charge, So, that's the national average days wages in Thailand to drive you for a 1 kilometer ride that would take about 5 minutes.

It's still officially 200B to start the engine, but they may ask for more initially, especially if they are near the front of the que. The last time I had to get a tuk tuk for a 5 minute ride for 3 people from my house in south Kata to The Old Phuket in Karon, it was 400B.

And this is the kind of vanilla reporting we get on the issue because the media are to afraid to confront them. The certificate program started by the vice governor was scraped because the Karon "co-op" just sat on their hands when they were asked to participate.

Edited July 2, 2012 by NomadJoe

sportsman69 · July 2, 2012

How can 10 people get into a tuk tuk?

Impossible.

Someone this story doesn`t ring true.

Come to Phuket, you'll see it all. Not even a 1/2 load. I've even seen 18 human (?) beings in a Honda Dream samlor made out of reo bar, some young but 18 souls moving house complete with wide screen TV and desk fan doing 5,000 revs. " Ripley's Believe it or Not " has nothing on this place. Mention my name you might even get a good seat !

NamKangMan · July 2, 2012

10 more happy tourists. Keep up the good work.

Sorry, I don't agree. The deal was 6 tourists for 300bt. That's 50bt per tourist.

The tuk-tuk driver can count to 10, so can I.

He only wanted an extra 100bt for the other 4 tourists. That's a great discount. The Egyptian should have been ecstatic.

But no, the 10 rich tourists had to try and scam the tuk-tuk driver, didn't they!

For what? 100bt .... that's three freakin' dollars .... for heaven's sake!

Was it worth it for $3? They've probably spent $15,000 between the 10 of them for this holiday ... and they're making a fuss over $3.

I am THOROUGHLY SICK AND TIRED of this sort of attitude from foreigners towards Thai workers.

Wake up .... the lot of you!

I'm usually charged 70-100bt. I always tip a tuk-tuk driver a 20. I always tip a taxi driver a 50. For a buck or two, we both walk away with a smile.

We all tip in the US, UK, or Australia ... but when we get to Bangkok, rich tourists suddenly turn into misers, scrouges, and whingers.

Where is that tuk-tuk driver? I'll pay his fine - for the moral wrong - and shout him and his family dinner for standing up for himself!

3 cheers

There is no fare under 300 baht in Phuket. To move the tuktuk, it is 300baht. Thats 6 GBP, 7.3 Euro, 9 USD. If you are trying to tell me thats OK to move 500m up the road, well you need to come here and see how you feel after 2 weeks of these <unts. I am living in Patong 9 yrs and I have watched the fare go from 50-80 negotiable, to 300 non negotiable, and these <unts are becoming increasingly violent.

Futher, tourists have no options for transport. None, diddly squat, zero, except the one bus route that goes to Phuket town. These <unts have gone to extremes of violence to ensure that no public transport service is allowed to operate. They almost killed a naive young man who took the job of driving a public bus run by local authorities. They beat him to within an inch of his life. So I cant stay silent when I read some short sighted comment defending the driver in this instance. Come live here and see how these <unts operate.

And before you tell me 'why dont you move back to your own country'.....let me tell you that I can tolerate this one disgusting facet of life in Patong Phuket Thailand. I will never ever use a tuktuk unless I am dieing. Thats about my limit I reckon. I have a car and a bike, I will not sponsor their intimidation with my patronage. Come here and tip them 50 Baht mate, before long you'll be paying 500 to sit in the bloody thing.

"I will never ever use a tuktuk unless I am dieing." - I will chose death before giving 1 baht to a tuk-tuk driver. :) :)

NamKangMan · July 2, 2012

Tuk-tuks have always charged for the distance of the journey, not the amount of passengers to be transported.

Absolutely false. Adding to the fare for additional people has been they way they operate for years. The first thing they say after "Where you go?" is "How many people?"

The last I heard it was a 200 baht minimum charge but someone has posted it's now a 300 baht minimum charge, So, that's the national average days wages in Thailand to drive you for a 1 kilometer ride that would take about 5 minutes.

It's still officially 200B to start the engine, but they may ask for more initially, especially if they are near the front of the que. The last time I had to get a tuk tuk for a 5 minute ride for 3 people from my house in south Kata to The Old Phuket in Karon, it was 400B.

I haven't caught a tuk-tuk for years, so I accept what you say. I refuse to use them on the principle that I would be supporting a criminal enterprise.

sportsman69 · July 2, 2012

10 more happy tourists. Keep up the good work.

Sorry, I don't agree. The deal was 6 tourists for 300bt. That's 50bt per tourist.

The tuk-tuk driver can count to 10, so can I.

He only wanted an extra 100bt for the other 4 tourists. That's a great discount. The Egyptian should have been ecstatic.

But no, the 10 rich tourists had to try and scam the tuk-tuk driver, didn't they!

For what? 100bt .... that's three freakin' dollars .... for heaven's sake!

Was it worth it for $3? They've probably spent $15,000 between the 10 of them for this holiday ... and they're making a fuss over $3.

I am THOROUGHLY SICK AND TIRED of this sort of attitude from foreigners towards Thai workers.

Wake up .... the lot of you!

I'm usually charged 70-100bt. I always tip a tuk-tuk driver a 20. I always tip a taxi driver a 50. For a buck or two, we both walk away with a smile.

We all tip in the US, UK, or Australia ... but when we get to Bangkok, rich tourists suddenly turn into misers, scrouges, and whingers.

Where is that tuk-tuk driver? I'll pay his fine - for the moral wrong - and shout him and his family dinner for standing up for himself!

3 cheers

There is no fare under 300 baht in Phuket. To move the tuktuk, it is 300baht. Thats 6 GBP, 7.3 Euro, 9 USD. If you are trying to tell me thats OK to move 500m up the road, well you need to come here and see how you feel after 2 weeks of these <unts. I am living in Patong 9 yrs and I have watched the fare go from 50-80 negotiable, to 300 non negotiable, and these <unts are becoming increasingly violent.

Futher, tourists have no options for transport. None, diddly squat, zero, except the one bus route that goes to Phuket town. These <unts have gone to extremes of violence to ensure that no public transport service is allowed to operate. They almost killed a naive young man who took the job of driving a public bus run by local authorities. They beat him to within an inch of his life. So I cant stay silent when I read some short sighted comment defending the driver in this instance. Come live here and see how these <unts operate.

And before you tell me 'why dont you move back to your own country'.....let me tell you that I can tolerate this one disgusting facet of life in Patong Phuket Thailand. I will never ever use a tuktuk unless I am dieing. Thats about my limit I reckon. I have a car and a bike, I will not sponsor their intimidation with my patronage. Come here and tip them 50 Baht mate, before long you'll be paying 500 to sit in the bloody thing.

"I will never ever use a tuktuk unless I am dieing." - I will chose death before giving 1 baht to a tuk-tuk driver.

Leave the gate open for me. C/u there !

americaninbangkok · July 2, 2012

At least nobody got stabbed in the heart.

NomadJoe · July 2, 2012

Tuk-tuks have always charged for the distance of the journey, not the amount of passengers to be transported.

Absolutely false. Adding to the fare for additional people has been they way they operate for years. The first thing they say after "Where you go?" is "How many people?"

The last I heard it was a 200 baht minimum charge but someone has posted it's now a 300 baht minimum charge, So, that's the national average days wages in Thailand to drive you for a 1 kilometer ride that would take about 5 minutes.

It's still officially 200B to start the engine, but they may ask for more initially, especially if they are near the front of the que. The last time I had to get a tuk tuk for a 5 minute ride for 3 people from my house in south Kata to The Old Phuket in Karon, it was 400B.

I haven't caught a tuk-tuk for years, so I accept what you say. I refuse to use them on the principle that I would be supporting a criminal enterprise.

Me neither. It wasn't for me. Unfortunately I didn't have a car at the time.

Beetlejuice · July 2, 2012

How can 10 people get into a tuk tuk?

Impossible.

Someone this story doesn`t ring true.

It's a Phuket tuk tuk so essentially a small 4 wheeled truck. And the article said "family" so likely some of them were kids. It's not easy, but 10 can fit, especially if you put one or two in the cab with the driver which is common.

OK, thanks.

americaninbangkok · July 2, 2012

Bet the TT driver doesn't even know what a suspended sentence is, all he knows is he can go back to work after he pay's this poultry fine.

He's paying a chicken fine? Or did you mean paltry?

moto77 · July 2, 2012

This seems like a completely fair outcome. The Egyptian was being a jerk. He didn't deserve to be punched, but it does seem that he provoked the incident. I don't understand why so many people in this forum continue to stay in Thailand when they seem to hate everything about it.

I do not hate Thailand, but i do hate Phuket Tuk Tuks so i do not live in Phuket

And how do you arrive at conclusion that people hate Thailand when they do not agree with Tuk Tuk behavior in Phuket?

I'm not defending what the driver did. I'm defending the sentence that was handed down. Some people here complain about every single thing the government (and nearly everyone else in this country) does.. that's why I come to that conclusion.

americaninbangkok · July 2, 2012

But no, the 10 rich tourists had to try and scam the tuk-tuk driver, didn't they!

They've probably spent $15,000 between the 10 of them for this holiday ...

We all tip in the US, UK, or Australia ... but when we get to Bangkok, rich tourists suddenly turn into misers, scrouges, and whingers.

Did anyone see evidence that the tourist was rich? If they had 15k for this trip, why would they take a tuk tuk?

Yes, I tip in the US. About 18% for food, and 10% for taxis. This is written in many guidebooks. Is it written in the guidebooks by the Thai ministry of tourism that tourists should pay 6 to 8 times the normal fare of an expensive city like London or hong kong for a tuk tuk (at least you get a/c and a receipt in the other cities and not a shitty attitude).

July 2, 2012

I'm not defending what the driver did. I'm defending the sentence that was handed down. Some people here complain about every single thing the government (and nearly everyone else in this country) does.. that's why I come to that conclusion.

So basically you condemn the farang who live here because some of the farang complain about everything.. You need to rethink the whole thing.

Even if people complain about the obvious misbehaviors, they do not hate the country or the people as it self. I would say that most of the original local Phuketians do not like tuk-tuks and their mafia powers. They do not like greed what is going on in this island. They also would like to get rid of the mafias.. and also they do not have powers or ideas how to do this.

Tuk-tuk mafia is well organised and have a lot of power. This does not end until people have had enough of the bullying. This requires few very brave people who will stand of the powers. These people can end up dead or heroes. Probably the first ones will die, and at some point we'll get our heroes who are able to resolve the problems.

dude007 · July 2, 2012

quote:

Before the assault, Mr Taha Taha hailed a tuk-tuk to take him and his family back to their accommodations at the Centra Ashlee Patong Hotel, a distance of about one kilometer.

When asked how many people would be travelling, he told the driver “six”; they then agreed on a fare of 300 baht.

unquote.

You see, there we have it: institutionalised exhorbitant prices, accepted by the police as they are announced in the police station in Pathong. 300 THB for 1 km! In Bangkok with A/C taxi: 35 Baht for 2 km... Is it clear to anyone of you!

spidermike007 · July 2, 2012

Just another example of Thailand doing nothing about addressing their problems. A suspended sentence is a slap in the face. 3,000 baht is less than this fool Sirapob Ngamriab makes per day, ripping off the same tourists he beats up, when they do not allow him to rip them off. Do the local authorities have any interest in addressing these issues? Only if they get egg on their face, from the national or international press, and only to avoid losing face. Did they discipline this fool? Did they set an example? Did they create a deterrent for the next goombah? Are they addressing the problems with the taxi mafia? Should he have been able to get away with charging more than it costs to take a nice comfortable taxi from Suvarnabhumi, to Sukhumvit, including highway tolls, and tip? You decide for yourself. My answer to all of these questions is a resounding NO.

HowardV · July 2, 2012

Here's what I think happened:

The Egyptian guy says "sip" trying to say "ten" in Thai. The driver thinks he's speaking English and hears "six" and they agree on 300.

(The Egyptians all wanted to go in one vehicle - maybe they didn't want to get split up or maybe they were used to crowding in like that in their "toktoks" back in Egypt.)

Then when they get there, the tuk-tuk driver's been thinking and he's decided to ask for 400. He and the Egyptian are each thinking the other guy's scamming him. Maybe the Egyptian guy's been hassled a bunch of times lately and he's fed up, so he gets in the driver's face, and the driver sees him standing there with his ten friends and freaks out and panics, punches the guy in the face, then runs.

I seriously doubt the guy thought he could slip in ten people after saying six, and on top of that, try to start a fight over it for 100 baht.

And I seriously doubt the tuk-tuk driver would try to scam the guy for 100 baht when the guy was there with 9 of his friends, or try to punch him to extract it out of him. He was scared.

It's like the movie Crash.

I think the Egyptian guy figured it out and let it go, but it didn't matter because the tourism laws still required the man be tried.