BANGKOK, Thailand – A foreign man is accused of attacking a tuk tuk driver with a beer bottle during a dispute over an unpaid fare at a hotel in Phuket’s Kathu district, with the driver filing a complaint with police after the alleged assault.

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According to the driver’s account, he collected the foreign man, described as of Middle Eastern appearance, and a woman from Bangla Road and drove them to a hotel in the area. On arrival, the man allegedly said he had no cash to pay the fare, reportedly giving the driver his mobile phone as security and asking him to return to the hotel one hour later to collect the money.

The driver agreed to the arrangement and went back at the agreed time, approaching the reception desk and asking hotel staff to call the passenger downstairs. The foreign man came down appearing heavily intoxicated, the driver said, and explained that he had been arguing with his girlfriend. The driver said he did not become involved in the personal dispute and instead asked for the outstanding fare to be paid.

Foreign Passenger Attacks Phuket Tuk Tuk Taxi Driver

The man allegedly became angry, refused to pay and took his phone back from the driver, with an argument following according to the complaint. The driver alleges that the man tore his shirt and hit him on the head with a beer bottle before leaving the hotel without paying. No further information was available in the initial police reports about the investigation or whether the alleged attacker had been identified or charged.

-Thailand News (TN)