Phuket van driver strikes foreign woman with bottle over rubbish dispute
A Thai van driver struck a foreign woman on the head with a plastic bottle outside Phuket International Airport yesterday, December 18, following a dispute over rubbish allegedly left inside his vehicle.
Footage of the incident quickly spread across Thai social media after it occurred at around 9pm last night. The confrontation took place near Entrance 2 of the passenger terminal at Phuket Airport, an area usually crowded with arriving and departing travellers.
In the video, the Thai van driver is arguing aggressively with a foreign woman. He repeatedly shouted “clean it!” while pointing toward the van. Moments later, he suddenly struck the woman on the head with an object reported to be a plastic bottle.
The foreign woman appeared shocked by the assault. Another foreign woman then stepped in to confront the driver, angrily questioning his behaviour.
Several passengers nearby were seen watching the incident. An airport security officer eventually intervened and separated both parties, preventing the situation from escalating further.
According to a report by the Phuket Hotnews Facebook page, the argument reportedly began after the driver discovered rubbish inside his van. The driver allegedly ordered the foreign passenger to clean the vehicle and take the rubbish with her. However, the woman reportedly refused to comply.
The incident sparked heated debate among Thai netizens online. Many criticised the driver for his aggressive behaviour, saying it was unacceptable for a public transport driver to assault a passenger under any circumstances.
Some commented that drivers should have a strong service mindset and handle disputes calmly, adding that cleaning rubbish left behind by passengers is part of the job.
Others took a different view, arguing that passengers should be responsible for their own rubbish and should not leave vehicles dirty. This group said that leaving waste behind showed poor manners.
Meanwhile, some online users said both parties were at fault, noting that while the passenger should have cleaned up after herself, the driver’s violent response was inappropriate and unprofessional.
Officers from Sakhu Police Station told the media that they were aware of the incident. Police said they had already coordinated with Phuket Airport officials to obtain CCTV footage to identify the van driver involved.
Police added that the case would be forwarded to the Phuket Provincial Transport Office for further action. Possible penalties include the revocation of the driver’s public transport licence.
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