Smokin’ scuffle: Foreigner’s taxi tantrum goes viral in Phuket

A video of a foreign man attacking a Thai taxi driver on a road in the Thalang district of Phuket this morning went viral on Thai social media. The physical assault was reportedly sparked after the driver asked the foreigner to stop smoking in the cab.

The Facebook page, Newshawk Phuket, shared a video of the incident at about 9.40am today, April 3. The video showed a foreign man grabbing the taxi driver’s collar from behind, while the driver attempted to escape from the car.

Several Thai media outlets reported that the man was a German national but some stated he was from Austria.

The taxi driver pleaded with nearby locals and motorists to intervene and separate him from the foreign man. One individual came forward to aid the driver, prompting the foreign man to cease his aggressive behaviour. He then exited the vehicle through the driver’s side door.

The taxi driver revealed in an interview with ThaiRath that he picked up the foreign man from Phuket International Airport, and the destination was a hotel in the Chalong sub-district.

The situation escalated when the foreign man began smoking inside the cab. The taxi driver warned him that smoking was not allowed, making the foreign man angry.

Foreign attack

According to the driver’s account, the foreign man launched a surprise attack from behind, strangling him as he slowed down on Thep Krasattri Road for a red light, causing his car to collide with an SUV in front.

Despite the collision, the foreign man persisted in assaulting the driver, leading him to open the car door in a bid for assistance. Remarkably, the individual who came to his aid turned out to be the owner of the SUV involved in the incident.

The owner of the SUV, Thanongsak, disclosed to the media that he separated the two and accompanied them to the Thalang Police Station. He also mentioned requesting compensation from the taxi driver’s insurance company but did not know about the altercation between the driver and his passenger.

The superintendent of the Thalang Police Station, Nikorn Choothong, informed ThaiRath that no charges had been filed against the German tourist yet. Police were awaiting an interpreter to assist with questioning both parties to gain a clear understanding of the situation.

A similar incident related to smoking occurred in Chon Buri province on April 1, where two Thai men severed the arm of a victim who them to avoid smoking near his liquor store.