Hi-So activist arrested after assaulting U Drink I Drive driver in Chon Buri

Suspect initially ignores 3 police summonses, claiming no documents or notifications reach him

Police arrested a political activist and businessman who physically assaulted a U Drink I Drive driver in Chon Buri on July 5, after he failed to respond to three summonses issued by officers.

U Drink I Drive is a platform offering professional chauffeur services to customers who own cars and wish to travel safely, particularly after consuming alcohol. The platform’s drivers are recognised for their professionalism, good manners, and distinctive uniforms.

The company’s co-founder, Apinara “Prang” Srikarnchana, recently revealed details of a shocking incident involving one of her employees, Chalongchai, on her TikTok account on September 20. Prang explained that Chalongchai was injured in an unprovoked attack by a male passenger on July 5.

The attacker was later identified as political activist and businessman Tanat “Luk Nat” Thanakitamnuay, also known as Hi-So Luk Nat. He allegedly punched and stomped on Chalongchai before stealing the victim’s belongings and threatening his family.

Being no stranger to the flipside of the law, Luk Nat’s home was previously raided on August 7 when police seized firearms and drugs. The raid followed complaints from two female party entertainers who claimed they had been attacked and forced to take drugs.

U Drink I Drive driver attacked by Hi-So activist
Photo via TikTok/ @apisrikarnchana

The well-known socialite activist faced legal proceedings over the firearms offences and the assaults against the two entertainers, but Chalongchai’s case remained out of the public eye. This may have prompted Prang to speak out in support of her employee.

Police issued three summonses calling on Luk Nat to surrender and face legal proceedings. However, he ignored them, leading to his arrest on September 24. He appeared at Bang Lamung Police Station with his lawyer and refused to speak to the media.

Hi-So activist arrested after assaulting U Drink I Drive driver in Chon Buri | News by Thaiger
Photo via DailyNews

Luk Nat’s lawyer told Daily News that his client wished to keep the details of the case private for now. The lawyer claimed Luk Nat had not attempted to evade justice but was unaware of the summonses.

According to the lawyer, Luk Nat only became aware of the summons today, after being escorted to the police station. Officers have detained him for questioning, and it is not yet confirmed whether he will be granted temporary release.

@apisrikarnchana

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Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.