Sweary tuk tuk driver tries to rip off tourists in Bangkok

A sweary Thai tuk tuk driver who tried to rip off a Singaporean couple on holiday in Bangkok has been fined by police and ordered to take a good driving awareness programme.

The tuk tuk driver, Thongkham Cherdchai, picked up John Chen and his girlfriend on Sunday at about 2.45pm at Central World. The couple wanted to go to their hotel near Surasak Station. Thongkham and the couple agreed on a price of 160 baht, but on the way, the driver told them he wanted 300 baht because it was further than he thought.

The tourists refused to give him more money which made the driver angry. He got out and started shouting and swearing at the couple in Thai and English on Sathorn Road. Chen started videoing the man as he got angrier. He then started pushing the couple around, shouting “fuck you” several times.

Chen walked away from the uncivil man because he didn’t want to quarrel anymore and later reported the incident at Yan Nawa Police Station.

Chen posted the video on the Instagram account, “singapore_incidents,” on Sunday, complaining of their “horrible” experience in Bangkok. The post was accompanied by the headline, “Another horrible experience for Singaporean couple in Thailand, this time with a tuk tuk driver.”

The video was brought to the attention of the Tourist Police commissioner Pol Maj Gen Suthun Prommayon. Pol Maj Gen Suthun was horrified by the driver’s rude behaviour and instructed police to find him.

Thung Mahamek police managed to track down the 57 year old tuk tuk driver and fined him 1,000 baht for having the wrong licence to drive public transport. Police also ordered the rude driver to attend a three-hour course to improve his driving behaviour, a result of using improper language to his passengers.

The Thai Tourist Police later got in touch with the Singapore embassy to discuss the tourism image of Thailand.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post Khaosod Amarin TV