Police in Phuket have spoken with a taxi driver accused of harassing and chasing a Grab driver in Patong. And according to the driver, it’s all been a “misunderstanding”.
The incident came to light when a video was posted on social media showing a green-plate taxi in which the driver is honking his horn and flashing his lights, all while following a Grab taxi.
According to a Phuket News report, the taxi can be seen following the Grab vehicle all the way from the headland south of Patong, into Patong town. The Grab driver says the incident caused him to fear for his life and so he didn’t stop.
The netizen who shared the video refers to the green-plate taxi driver as “taxi mafia”, the name commonly used for the cabal of Phuket drivers who’ve maintained an iron grip on the island’s taxi services for years.
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The video quickly went viral, as these things do, being shared multiple times across various channels, with calls for the authorities to take action against the taxi driver.
The Phuket News reports that yesterday morning, August 6, Chamnan Sapsin, chief of Patong Traffic Police, questioned the driver, who has been identified only as Mr Udom.
According to Chamnan, Udom told police he was driving 5 passengers to the Sugar Marina Heart Hotel in Karon at the time of the incident and merely honked and flashed his lights to signal that he was “overtaking” the taxi.
He denies he chased the Grab vehicle, saying he didn’t know the driver and had no previous dealings with him. However, the video appears to show a different version of events.
Patong Police are continuing their investigation and hope to speak with the Grab driver.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
