Taxi driver stabs passenger on road in Bangkok

A passenger stabbed by a Bangkok taxi driver appealed to the Thai media to highlight his case after he accused the police of procrastinating over the case despite having enough evidence to arrest the accused. The victim succeeded in his quest and the taxi driver was arrested yesterday.

The victim, Pratarn Seesook, contacted the crime news department of the MRG Online news agency on Tuesday and asked for their help. The 46 year old asked them to help spread his story in the hope of speeding up his case.

Pratarn told MRG Online that he and his friend hailed a taxi in front of Gaysorn Village shopping mall on Ratchadamri Road on Thursday, December 29 at about 10.15pm.

Pratarn said the driver refused to serve him. They had a row which resulted in the driver opening his cab and stabbing him in the stomach.

The driver fled from the scene leaving his victim lying in a pool of blood by the roadside. His friend managed to send him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

His friend reported the issue at Lumphini Police Station after sending him to the hospital. He told the police the car registration number and its colour.

Pratarn said he tried to follow up on the case with police officers but there was no development. The police told him that the driver was 46 year old Prasert Promphet and a warrant was out for his arrest.

Pratarn was hospitalised for a month before rehabilitating at home but when he contacted the police for an update none was forthcoming. So, he contacted the media and asked for help.

Two days after his story was published online, police officers finally tracked down the suspect and arrested the suspect.

Prasert confessed that he refused to transport the passengers due to the lengthy journey and fear of not having enough fuel to reach the destination.

He then claimed that Pratarn and his friend vandalized his car and were about to attack him, leading him to take preemptive action for a chance to escape.

Prasert is facing charges under two sections of the Criminal Law: Section 294 for causing physical harm to another person, with a potential sentence of 6 to 10 years in prison and a fine of 10,000 to 200,000 baht, and Section 371 for carrying a weapon in public without a valid reason, which carries a punishment of up to one year in prison and weapon confiscation.