A Phuket minivan driver has been fined 5,000 baht after abandoning two Russian women at the side of the road, apparently to avoid driving through a police checkpoint. According to a Phuket News report, the incident happened yesterday, October 3, on the Bypass Road (which goes from Samkong to Koh Kaew).
It’s understood the Russian tourists had hired the minivan to take them from the Laguna holiday resort in Chergntalay, to the Central Festival shopping mall in Kathu. As the van was heading south down the bypass road towards their destination at around 12.40, the driver spotted a police checkpoint about 400 metres ahead.
Unwilling to risk driving through the checkpoint, he stopped the van and made the women get out, before driving off. However, it turns out he conveniently abandoned them in front of the office of Somchat Techathaworncharoen, from the Move Forward Party and a representative of Phuket District 1.
According to the Phuket News, Mr Somchat’s office assisted the two women and alerted police. Officers were subsequently able to track down the 31 year old minivan driver, named only as “Mr A”.
Somchat later posted on social media that the man had been brought in for questioning, where it emerged he had not paid the road tax on his vehicle.
“Police officers have issued a fine of 5,000 baht and are coordinating with the Provincial Transport Office to summon this taxi driver for further punishment.”
SOURCE: The Phuket News
