VIDEO: Taxi drivers fistfight in front of customers at Phuket shop

Several minivan taxi drivers got into a fistfight over customers outside Khun Mae Ju, a popular souvenir shop in Phuket. One man struck another in the head with an axe, and it was all caught on video. The video clip went viral on social media after people inside the shops filmed the taxi drivers exchanging punches and kicks through the window, while international tourists looked on in shock and dismay. The fight is yet another blight on taxi drivers in Phuket and Thailand, who have recently been in the spotlight with several high-profile incidents.

The brawl took place on the northbound side of Thep Kasattri Road in Thalang in Phuket at a shop well-known for selling souvenirs, a popular stop for tourists to grab gifts from their holiday. Several minivan taxis were parked in the car park, their drivers waiting to nab customers as shoppers exited the store.

The taxi drivers got into a debate that turned to blows as appaled onlookers watched from inside, with one person filming as several drivers attacked each other. It is reported that at least one of the minivans contained tourists inside during the brawl.

The video showed one driver in a light blue shirt putting another in a headlock as the man fought to escape. The second man in a matching blue shirt then punched the man in the headlock in the face – allegedly with an axe, though it is not clearly visible in the video – as a fourth man seemingly tried to hold the third man back as he broke free and kicked the man in the headlock. The fourth man was seen getting shoved aside and falling backwards.

Then, a man in a brown shirt and two more men in matching red shirts were filmed running in to break up the fight and pull the battling men apart before several other people raced to assist as well. It is unclear how many of the men were taxi drivers and how many were just witnesses stepping in to help.

The Thalang Police Chief confirmed that one of the taxi drivers was injured enough to require medical attention at a local hospital and, after being treated, went to the police to file a report. Aside from the police, the Phuket Land Transport Office will be investigating the incident, with the chief vowing to take further legal action if warranted. But the PLTO only enforces traffic regulations and will not address the violence, only if the drivers were correctly licensed and rules such as whether the taxi drivers used obscene language or dressed improperly.

The two main taxi drivers involved in the fight turn themselves in to the police station later. They reported that they had never met the man that they were fighting before. The previous speculation that the fight was over who would get the passenger fare was apparently wrong, as the driver told police that the fistfight began because of someone offended at another person staring at them.

The fight was yet another in a line of incidents that have cast Thai taxi drivers in a bad light. This week, taxi drivers in Bangkok were fined for overcharging customers, while last week a Bangkok man was denied for a short trip by 23 taxis that were seeking foreigners for more profitable rides. The week before, a similar fight between drivers at Rassada Pier in Phuket brought scrutiny on their alleged taxi mafia.

SOURCE: TPN National

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