In the lively city of Phuket, famous for its energetic beach cabana atmosphere and vibrant nightlife, a dark cloud of discontent and conflict erupted recently. Three tuk-tuk drivers, intimately familiar with the city’s bustling streets, found themselves in a pickling predicament on a Sunday morning with an unexpected twist to their typical day’s work. Unquestionably, they were arrested on Monday, a day that began with the aftermath of an assault on a peaceful tourist from exotic Saudi Arabia.
The incident unravelled outside a local favourite, the Phuket hotel, known for its sumptuous traditional Thai hospitality. What followed sparked an intense investigation by the eagle-eyed Patong law enforcement agents. A potent piece of evidence, a photograph of a group of tuk-tuk drivers seemingly carrying out an attack on the Saudi wanderer, found its way on social networks. The image, which became viral, portrayed an aggressive scene at the Amata Hotel on the vibrant Rat Uthit 200 Years road in the bustling Patong area at the heart of sparkling Sunday Phuket.
Surely, the hotel’s security cameras had caught sight of the harrowing incident. The law enforcement agents undertook a diligent pursuit to decipher the video recordings. As the truth unraveled, the law caught up with the three transgressors – Anusorn, aged 29, Apisit, a 26-year-old man, and Nusrulloh, a 28-year-old driver. Anusorn, Apisit, and Nusrulloh, identified as tuk-tuk drivers in the Patong locality, were subsequently taken into custody.
The sequence of the fateful Sunday morning emerged during the police investigation. Mr Anusorn picked up the Saudi Arabian tourist from the opening of Soi Saen Sabai on Rat Uthit 200 Years road at around 6.15 am, embarking on a journey to the 7Q Patong Beach Hotel. The two agreed on a reasonable fare of 200 baht. However, the voyage did not end as expected at 7Q Patong Beach Hotel. The traveler, seemingly unfamiliar with the locality, announced his actual destination, which turned out to be Amata Hotel, located further along the same street.
In response to the change in destination, Anusorn, the tuk-tuk driver, ramped up the fare to a whopping 400 baht, a full 100% increase from the initially agreed price. The adjustment in fare didn’t sit well with the Saudi Arabian guest, and the two men found themselves locked in heated negotiation. In a surprising twist, Anusorn purportedly dialed the numbers of his comrades, Apisit, and Nusrulloh, calling for their assistance from an escalating argument.
Upon their arrival, even the combined efforts of the trio couldn’t settle the fare issue. The situation sparked further tension, culminating in an assault on the Saudi Arabian visitor, as per the details provided by the police. The three tuk-tuk drivers were then taken to court and prosecuted in Phuket for assault on that gloomy Monday. In addition to their legal penalties, the law enforcement intends to request the local Phuket transport office to strip the accused of their honorable operating licenses.
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