UPDATE: The van driver has been identified as Poramet Soraket, 47, who drives for a company based in Krabi. Phuket City Police are now tracking him down.
Police identified the tourist as 35-year-old Singaporean national Fariz Bin Abdulkardir Bashar Ahil.
See updated story: Van driver charged for threatening tourist
The van driver was caught on video holding an iron bar while intimidating the tourist.
A video of the incident was posted online, showing the driver, wearing a red polo shirt and black long jeans, walking from the van parked by the side of the road up to the tourist, who was waiting on the footpath with his two suitcases.
The van driver, with an iron bar in hand, speaks harshly with the tourist, then walks away. He then returns to continue his verbal tirade.
The incident happened in front of the Coffee Talk shop on Ratsada Rd, and was recorded on video by a person in the shop. The video clip is 52 seconds long. However what was said cannot be heard due to the large glass window.
Phuket City Police arrived at the scene at about 5:30pm, reported the Phuket branch of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket).
Due to the nature of the incident, Phuket City Deputy Police Chief Pol Lt Col Kamala Niyomkhet joined patrol officers at the scene, noted the report.
From the video, the van’s licence plates cannot be seen in the video, by the company logo on the side of the van was described as “not registered”.
A post online showing the video marked that the company logo “VS” was emblazoned on the side of the van.
The tourist tried walking away but the driver prevented him from leaving while he continued to accost him, PR Phuket reported.
Phuket Tourist Police last night confirmed they had found and questioned the tourist accosted in the incident and were continuing their investigation into what had happened with the intent of pressing charges.