Phuket police have arrested a motorcycle taxi driver seen in a viral video confronting a female Bolt taxi driver and forcing her passengers, two Asian tourists, out of the vehicle. The incident took place on October 31 at around 5:30 p.m. in Patong, where Ms. Thanaporn, 32, had picked up the tourists via the Bolt app, intending to take them to the airport. However, a local motorcycle taxi driver, later identified as 53-year-old Mr. Champen, approached, opened the car door, and demanded the tourists exit, claiming they were in his territory. Both the driver and her passengers were left shaken and complied with the man’s demands.
On November 2, Patong police tracked Mr. Champen using his vehicle registration details and found him riding near Thawiwong Road in a visibly erratic manner, leading to a search that uncovered a half-empty whiskey bottle under his seat. After administering a breathalyzer test, police found his blood alcohol concentration was 75 mg%, exceeding Thailand’s legal limit.
In addition to the confrontation with Ms. Thanaporn and her passengers, Mr. Champen now faces multiple charges. These include drunk driving, failing to wear a helmet, using an unregistered vehicle, and lacking both a public transport driver’s license and a copy of vehicle registration. Ms. Thanaporn has since filed a statement to pursue further charges against him for intimidation, a charge carrying up to one month in prison, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between traditional motorcycle taxi drivers and ride-hailing services in Thailand.
