Drug-fuelled taxi rage: Man arrested with gun and meth in Phuket
A man was arrested after allegedly threatening a taxi driver with a pen gun near Mae Somchit Kata Fresh Market, only for police to discover he was also carrying crystal meth.
The dramatic incident unfolded at 6pm on Monday, March 10, when Wichit Police received a report of a man menacing a taxi driver with a concealed weapon on Kata Road. Acting swiftly, officers intercepted a white Mazda2 at a red light near the market, stopping the suspect, later identified as Kittikorn “Toey” Chanmath.
Police ordered Kittikorn to exit the vehicle and conducted a search of his person and car. Inside his left shorts pocket, officers found a pen gun loaded with a .22-calibre bullet. Further inspection revealed a plastic bag containing crystal meth (Ice).
Kittikorn was immediately taken into custody and transferred to Karon Police Station for further questioning. A background check revealed that he had a prior drug-related conviction in 2018 at Thung Song Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Police later confirmed the seized substance was crystal meth, and a urine test detected traces of the drug in his system.
Kittikorn now faces multiple charges, including illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a firearm in a public area without permission, and illegal possession of Category 1 narcotics.
However, the Karon Police report made no mention of the alleged threat to the taxi driver, raising questions about whether further charges could be added as the investigation unfolds.
Police continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the incident, with concerns growing over the increasing use of illicit firearms and drugs in street confrontations, reported The Phuket News.
In similar news, a Russian couple in Phuket allegedly refused to pay their taxi fare, sparking a heated confrontation with the Thai driver. After reaching their destination, the pair reportedly exited the vehicle and walked away without paying.
The driver chased them down, but they still refused to settle the bill. The Phuket Times shared images and a video of the dispute on March 5, captioning, “All the bad people gather in Phuket.”
In the footage, the Russian man is seen opening a car door for his girlfriend while the taxi driver shouts in frustration, demanding payment for the ride.
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