Phuket taxi driver tussle turns streets into a brawl zone (video)
The streets of Phuket resembled more like a battle scene today than a picturesque holiday resort after a furious brawl broke out between local taxi drivers and foreign tourists, raising fresh concerns about visitor safety. What started as a squabble quickly spiralled into a full-blown fight, drawing a large crowd of shocked onlookers.
Wichit Police stepped in today, August 30, after a chaotic street brawl between five foreign tourists and three local taxi drivers turned viral. The scrap, which broke out on Wichit Songkram Road by the Darasamut Intersection, was captured in a 26-second video buzzing on social media. The caption said, “It’s famous again #Phuket is very hot, taxis vs tourists in front of a famous shopping mall!”
The video shows a wild scene where punches and bottles fly as tensions flare. According to reports, the fight kicked off when three Iranian women stood in front of a taxi. The driver asked them to move, which set off a chain reaction of irritation. The women’s husbands, reportedly tipsy, joined the fray, and things quickly got out of hand.
The brawl saw the drunk tourists make a swift exit, leaving a smaller group behind who then called the police. The footage also showed a woman’s necklace being snatched in the melee.
Online, the incident sparked a firestorm of comments, with users divided. Some slammed the rowdy tourists, while others called for tougher action against such behaviour.
“Don’t blame only Thais. There are a lot of bad tourists in Patong.”
“Good people have a hard time, there are only scumbags and thugs. Officers shouldn’t make the law weak.”
In response, Wichit Police Chief Pol Col Chatree Chueakaew sent officers to sort out the mess. The tourists and drivers were hauled into Wichit Police Station for questioning.
The cops found that the row began when the tourists were leaning against a parked taxi while waiting for a ride to their Patong hotel. When the driver asked them to move, it sparked a heated argument that soon turned violent.
After reviewing CCTV footage, the police found both sides equally responsible for the ruckus. They’ve been charged with, “colluding in a loud fight in a public place or public area, or engaging in behaviour that disturbs public peace and order.” Despite the charges, everyone agreed to move on without grudges and went their separate ways, reported Phuket News.
