UPDATE: Motorbike taxi drivers have an alleged turf-war shootout

Motorbike taxi drivers allegedly had a turf-war shootout in front of a shopping centre in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok. The motorbike taxi drivers, known as “win” drivers, were allegedly fighting over a location for a win base outside the mall. No one was injured and the drivers took off shortly after shots were fired.

The Big C shopping centre in the Bang Phli district is brand new and has only been open for a month. A resident (who asked not to be named) at the Britannia Srinakarin housing complex across the street says a new group of motorbike drivers set up a station in front of the Big C about 10 days ago. The new win station is about 50 metres from another station that has been there for years, he says.

The resident says he normally takes a ride to the BTS station from the old group of win drivers, but since the new group was closer to his home, he decided to hitch a ride from them. He says the old drivers were angry that some of their regular customers were being serviced by new drivers. He noticed tension between the 2 groups over the past week. When he came back home yesterday, police were on the scene and the new motorbike station had been destroyed.

Witnesses told police that the new group of drivers shot first and the old group shot back. Police say they’ve identified and contacted the leaders of both motorbike groups. They plan to have a meeting at the Bang Kaeo Police Station with all the win drivers involved. Police say they plan to prosecute the drivers that fired shots. Thai media says a win station in front of the centre has not been registered yet, so the drivers haven’t legally marked their territory.

This isn’t the first time win drivers have been violent over areas they claim as their turf. Back in March, 3 win drivers attacked a Grab motorbike driver as he was picking up a customer at a condominium in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong. The Grab driver told police that a local win driver allegedly stopped him, saying he was not allowed to pick up customers and that the location was “their territory.”

SOURCE: Thai Residents

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