Taxi driver arrested for beating a motorcycle rider with baseball bat

Police arrested a taxi driver in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen after he beat a motorcycle rider with a baseball bat and fled the scene. The victim was hit by another car as he lay on the road in the central province of Pathum Thani and remains in hospital. The taxi driver claimed he attacked the victim in self-defence.

The local news Facebook page, Let Me Know If You Wanna Be Famous, Return Ver. 5.2 (อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้รีเทิร์น 5.2), posted news of the assault last Sunday, New Year’s Day after receiving a witness account.

The page posted a picture of the taxi driver with a caption informing readers that he threatened a motorcycle rider with a fake pistol and beat him with a baseball bat on the road in Pathum Thani province. The victim was seriously injured because another car hit him after the attack.

The victim works as a coconut seller but his identity has not been reported in the media.

The taxi driver’s face and his car registration plate are clearly shown in the picture. The driver was later identified as 32 year old Phadungkiat who fled to his home province in Khon Kaen after the attack.

The incident was reported to have happened last Friday, December 31, and Phadungkiat was arrested at his home in the None Sila district of Khon Kaen two days later on Sunday evening.

Phadungkiat confessed that he hit the motorcyclist twice on the neck, adding he did it to protect himself.

Phadungkiat revealed he argued with the victim in front of a bank in Pathum Thani province. He said the rider pointed a foot at his car, so he took revenge by giving the rider a middle finger.

Phadungkiat said he tried to end the row by driving away from the scene but the rider followed and threw a brick at him. Phadungkiat stopped the car, threatened the man with a fake gun, and struck the rider twice in the neck.

Phadungkiat said he noticed that the rider was hit by another car but did not help him because it was self-defence in his opinion.

The driver added he threw the fake gun and baseball bat into the river.

Phadungkiat also emphasised that he did not try to escape the arrest. He was visiting his mother in Khon Kaen because it was the new year holiday.

Phadungkiat was charged with assaulting another person leading to serious injury according to Section 297 of the Criminal Law. He will face imprisonment from six months to 10 years and a fine of 10,000 to 200,000 baht.