Phuket beachfront parking row escalates into machete threat (video)

What seemed like an ordinary day at Naithon Beach in Phuket turned into a spectacle as a local was accused of threatening a Grab taxi driver with a machete over a disputed parking spot. The location, allegedly reserved for taxis operated by locals, saw a heated exchange that escalated rapidly.

Sakhoo Police Station yesterday became the arena of discussions where both individuals involved in the parking spot dispute were summoned. The Grab driver mentioned in the incident, 28 year old Phrompitak Kongyod, a resident of Moo 6, Sakhoo, parked his vehicle near Baan Naithon Park at the beachfront. It didn’t take long before he was confronted by 52 year old Santi Raiwalthipkul, belonging to Moo 4, Sakhoo. Santi informed Phrompitak that the claimed spot was reserved for local taxi drivers, causing an immediate clash.

Santi walked to his nearby parked ‘saleng,’ a motorbike with a sidecar, and pulled out a machete, threatening Phrompitak to vacate the space.

The first to hear about this threat, apart from the local witnesses, were the police at Sakhoo Police Station, approached by the distraught Grab driver. The news of this alarming incident reached far beyond the Sakhoo jurisdiction, as a video recording swiftly circulated online, triggering significant public outrage, reported The Phuket News.

A notable misconception being stirred online was labelling Santi as a local taxi driver, which was clarified by the Sakhoo Police Chief, Salaan Tantisasankul. Santi is a local fisherman, a detail confirmed by Salaan during the discussions. Santi made it clear that he neither drives taxis nor holds any affiliations with local taxi services. On being questioned about the machete, he elaborated that it was a necessary tool for his profession as a fisherman.

The aftermath of this intense altercation resulted in charges against Santi for threatening others using a weapon. This information was confirmed by Chief Salaan.