A foreign tourist is in custody in Phuket and facing assault charges after an alleged attack on a taxi driver. The man, reported in some media outlets to be an Austrian national, is accused of assaulting the driver in a row over smoking.
The Phuket Express reports that the driver had picked the tourist up at Phuket Airport and was taking him to Chalong when the man lit up a cigarette in the back of the car. When the driver asked him not to smoke, it’s understood the tourist became agitated.
The situation quickly escalated when the man then moved from the back of the car to the front and proceeded to grab the driver by the neck, causing the taxi to collide with another vehicle. At this point, the driver was able to escape the car and call for help.
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According to Nikorn Choothong, chief of Thalang Police, the incident happened on the main Thalang Police Chief confirmed the incident, which occurred on the main Thepkrasattri Road, approximately 30 metres from Thalang Police Station.
The alleged assault was captured on video and has been widely shared on social media. In the clip, the passenger can be seen trying to push the driver out of the taxi, causing it to collide with another car.
The tourist is in custody at Thalang Police Station, facing charges of causing bodily and mental harm.
SOURCE: The Phuket Express
