The incident gained traction online after dashcam footage posted on the Hot Jung Phuket Facebook page showed the incident occurring at the Bangchak petrol station at about 8:30pm on Sunday night (Dec 24).
The taxi driver was later identified by Tourist Police as Bunrit Torngan, of Moo 2 Koh Kaew.
Bunrit is seen in the footage grabbing the woman tourist, later named by Tourist Police only as “Maria’, by the arm and dragging her out of the taxi.
The incident drew condemnation by netizens in comments online.
Pol Lt Col Wachirapisak Na Songkhla and fellow officers of the Phuket Tourist Police yesterday escorted Bunrit to the Bangtao Beach Gardens condo resort at 10am.
Bunrit explained that he had picked up ‘Maria’, who Tourist Police described as “about 40 years old, nationality unknown”, at a “famous department store in Phuket Town”. He was was hired to take her to Bang Tao Beach.
During the journey, Maria asked him to turn off the air conditioning because she was too cold.
Bunrit said he complied, but Maria then asked why the cold air was still coming from the front of the taxi.
Maria opened the window, and when Bunrit pulled into the petrol station, despite protests from Maria, she opened her door and pushed it further open with her foot.
Enraged, Bunrit grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the vehicle.
According to a report by Phuket Info Center, after the argument, Bunrit took Maria to he condo at Bang Tao.
Tourist Police gave no such confirmation.
Officers arrived at Bangtao Beach Gardens yesterday morning with Bunrit for him to apologise for his behaviour, as Bunrit now felt guilty of his behaviour, police said.
However, Maria was not at the condo. Her mother tried calling maria, but she did not answer her phone.
So instead, Bunrit made his apology to Maria’s mother, Tourist Police said.