Cabbie chaos: Thai app rider punches cop in Bangkok (video)

A Thai app-based taxi rider physically assaulted a police officer and damaged his car, claiming the cop was responsible for an earlier road accident in Bangkok.

The footage of the physical assault on 30 year old Police Corporal Wirodom Najaiboon, from the Protection and Crowd Control Division, went viral on Thai social media and was shared by many news outlets. The app-based rider, later identified as 28 year old Sahaphap, was the man in the dark blue shirt and jeans.

Despite the heated exchange, Corporal Wirodom maintained his composure and refrained from fighting back. Even the intervention of two security guards couldn’t pacify the furious Sahaphap. This shocking display of aggression has not only ignited outrage but has left many questioning how far things will go in today’s age of road rage.

Wirodom reported the incident at Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station after the assault, which occurred at about 4pm, yesterday, October 3, Wirodom explained that he was driving the car to lead buses of students, who had just finished their camp in Saraburi province and were returning to their school.

Wirodom said he closed the left lane of the road to make way for the buses. Other vehicles stopped behind his car, except for the app-based rider, who was travelling at high speed and unable to stop in time, resulting in a collision with other parked vehicles.

Wirodom stated that the rider blamed him for the accident and followed him from the accident scene. Warodom urged the rider to file a complaint against him if he believed the accident was his fault but the rider ignored this suggestion and initiated the physical assault.

Sahaphap insisted that the accident was the police officer’s fault, and other witnesses also supported this claim. He wanted the officer to cover the repair costs for his motorcycle.

Sahaphap added that he was willing to apologise to the police officer and compensate for his injuries if the officer admitted his fault and compensated him as well.

Officers at Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station are investigating the case and reviewing security camera footage from the scene of the accident.