Bangkok taxi driver slashes passenger’s head after overcharge (video)

A shameful Thai taxi driver surrendered himself yesterday after trying to overcharge a passenger by 500 baht and subsequently attacking her with a knife on a footpath near Soi Lat Phrao 42/2 in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok on Saturday, August 10.

The victim’s sister, 29 year old Supawadee Khamsa-nga, met with Ekkaphop Luangprasert, the founder of the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive, to seek justice for her elder sister, 43 year old Wanpen Khamsa-nga, who remains in the intensive care unit after being assaulted by the taxi driver, 50 year old Prapas Boonlang.

Supawadee revealed to the organisation that Wanpen attended a birthday party, hosted by Itsaraporn Thonguraisakun, on Friday, August 9, though Supawadee did not attend.

The party ended at about 1.40am on August 10, and Itsaraporn booked a taxi via an app to travel home. Itsaraporn and her Singaporean friend sat in the back seat while Wanpen sat in the front passenger seat next to the taxi driver.

According to Itsaraporn, the driver became angry because he struggled to find the pickup location. He shouted and mumbled complaints during the journey at Wanpen, who was intoxicated.

Wanpen then asked the driver to stop mid-journey because she felt the need to vomit. The driver complied with her request but continued to complain. Wanpen asked the driver to stop again to vomit but this time he handed her a plastic bag.

Extra fee for vomit

To avoid making the car dirty, Wanpen opened the window, leaned her head out, and vomited into the plastic bag. Itsaraporn insisted that her friend did not dirty the car at all.

During the ride, the taxi driver demanded an additional 500 baht, claiming he had lost time by stopping for Wanpen to vomit. Wanpen and Itsaraporn refused to pay the extra charge because they did not make the car dirty.

The two eventually negotiated to pay only 200 baht extra and requested the driver stop so they could get a new taxi. The fare was paid via the app using Itsaraporn’s credit card and they handed the driver 200 baht before getting out of the car.

After they exited the vehicle, the driver followed them and unexpectedly slashed Wanpen’s head with a knife. He inflicted multiple cuts on her, ignoring the pleas from Itsaraporn and her foreign friend. Another taxi driver arrived at the scene and honked his horn, prompting the attacker to stop and flee in his taxi.

Wanpen required over 20 stitches for the wounds to her head, and her skull was fractured. She also sustained cut wounds on her hands and arms, and her brain was bleeding.

Supawadee and Itsaraporn filed an attempted murder complaint against the driver at Chokchai Police Station but the case made no progress. They tried to share the story on a Facebook group for Thai taxi drivers but the group’s administrator blocked their post.

Stress and insult

Saimai Survive founder Ekkaphop followed up on the case with officers at Chokchai Police Station and demanded that the driver’s taxi licence be revoked and that he be tested for drugs.

The driver, Prapas, finally turned himself in to police yesterday. He claimed that he was offended when the passenger threw 200 baht in cash at him. He was also under stress trying to get money for his pregnant wife and two children.

Prapas said he was sorry for what he had done and wanted to meet the victim at the hospital to apologise. The Daily News reported that officers had granted Prapas a temporary release and would file charges against him after a medical report on Wanpen’s injuries was released.