Bangla Road brawl: Taxi driver and tourist clash in viral showdown (video)

A shocking street brawl between a tourist and a Patong taxi driver has sent social media into overdrive, leaving Bangla Roadโ€™s infamous nightlife under scrutiny once again.

The 18-second video, shared by the Facebook page เน‚เธซเธ”เธˆเธฑเธ‡ เธˆเธฑเธ‡เธซเธงเธฑเธ”เธ เธนเน€เธเน‡เธ• captures a chaotic scene of men punching and grappling at the bustling end of Bangla Road. Titled Fighting hard #BanglaRoad, Patong, the clip sparked a storm of online reactions ranging from bemusement to outright concern about the areaโ€™s image.

While the initial outrage pointed fingers at unruly tourists, the narrative shifted as Patong police identified one of the perpetrators as 38 year old local taxi driver, Kopong Srisuwan. According to Police Lieutenant Wichyu Dampuek, Kopong had already come forward to give his statement.

Kopong claimed the altercation erupted after his uncle, who was holding a sign to attract customers near Kopongโ€™s parked vehicle, was shoved twice by a foreign man. The tourist allegedly escalated the situation by attempting a physical attack, prompting Kopong to intervene. What followed was an all-out brawl that locals tried in vain to defuse.

Despite the dramatic footage, Kopong assured police that the fight ended without serious injuries. He also maintained that his uncle neither said nor did anything to provoke the touristโ€™s aggression.

Police have since questioned Kopong and recommended he undergo a physical check-up at Patong Hospital. Efforts are now underway to identify the foreign man involved in the scuffle, reported Phuket News.

The viral incident has reignited debates about tourist behaviour in Patong, with many worried about the potential damage to the areaโ€™s already notorious reputation. Meanwhile, local police are under pressure to ensure such incidents donโ€™t tarnish Phuketโ€™s appeal as a tourist destination.

In related news, a viral video showing two foreigners fighting each other on a road along Patong Beach in Phuket sparked criticism of weaknesses in Thai laws.

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Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Originally from Hong Kong, Puntid moved to Bangkok in 2020 to pursue further studies in translation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. Puntid spent 8 years living in Manchester, UK. Before joining The Thaiger, Puntid has been a freelance translator for 2 years. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and listening to music, as well as writing short fiction and poetry.

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