The fight involving Patong ’public transport’ drivers broke out at around 12.45am yesterday, June 18, on Patong’s renowned Thaweewong Rd., right in front of the Patong Immigration Police Office and some 200 metres away from Bangla Community Police Station.
The incident was recorded by a dash-cam of a passing vehicle. The video was then posted online and went viral.
A 39-second-long clip shows a group of people beating another person right in the middle of the beach road. Some of the attackers can be clearly seen wearing blue vests, a typical uniform of Patong motorbike taxi drivers. The end of the fight was not shown in the clip.
It was later reported by local Thai media that several people presented themselves to Patong Police and confirmed that there was a conflict between local motorcycle taxi drivers and a competitor “not from their queue” who tried to pick-up a passenger in their area.
It was not revealed if the passenger was a Thai national or a foreign tourist. The unnamed victim is yet to report the incident to the police.
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Sermphan Sirikong confirmed to local media that he had been informed of the incident and ordered Patong Police to investigate the case in due manner. Yet no official statement has been released so far by either Phuket Provincial Police or Patong Police.
christysweet | 21 June 2022 - 10:50:32