Bangkok taxi driver hits pedestrian at Asiatique

A pedestrian crossing a road at a legal crosswalk in front of Asiatique The Riverfront in Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok was struck by a taxi yesterday, as seen in a video posted by Thai social media users.

The video quickly went viral, sparking outrage and prompting the Wat Phraya Krai police officers to publicise the details of the incident. The accident report indicated that the police were notified of the incident at 1.36pm on April 23.

Upon arriving at the scene, emergency services and police officers encountered the taxi driver and the victim. The former was identified as Patsathi, a 58 year old man, while the latter was revealed to be Thanat, a 44 year old man.

As per Patsathi’s statement to the police, he was driving outbound on Charoen Krung road and didn’t stop at the crosswalk light in front of Asiatique The Riverfront. Consequently, Thanat was directly hit by the taxi causing him injuries.

The incident sparked criticism among Thai netizens who argued that the Thai laws against road traffic violations aren’t stringent enough, leading to a lack of strict adherence to traffic laws. This sentiment was echoed by TPN, who noted the lax punishment for traffic law violators.

Following the accident, Thanat was swiftly transported to a nearby hospital by emergency services for immediate medical attention. Meanwhile, the police initiated an investigation, collecting evidence from local CCTV footage to aid in further legal proceedings.

Patsathi, the taxi driver, confessed to his wrongdoing and his statement was recorded in a daily diary as evidence. However, the police are currently waiting for a body examination report from the physicians treating Thanat, who is reported to be safe, before proceeding with legal action against Patsathi. This report will serve as crucial evidence for the case, ensuring that the correct course of legal action is taken, reported Pattaya News.