THAILAND: Four Taxi Drivers Charged With Illegal Detention After Seizure Of Uber Car In Pattaya

Four taxi drivers in Pattaya who allegedly surrounded an Uber car on Wednesday afternoon and forced a Western passenger out of the vehicle were charged with illegal detention and threatening others, Provincial Police Region 2 chief Pol Lt-General Jitti Rodbangyang said on Thursday.

The four accused taxi drivers, Chalor Phumphetch, 39, Supakit Thongploem, 42, Pramote Wattanasiri, 29, and Krit Saengsuwan, 42, have declared that they did not do anything wrong.

The Uber driver, Surasak Khukham, 29, had filed a complaint at the Pattaya Police Station at 11pm on Wednesday.

Surasak also played a video clip showing his car being surrounded by five or six taxis on Pattaya 2 Road in North Pattaya in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri. Surasak said the Western tourist was terrified as the taxi was besieged.

Surasak was fined Bt1,000 for misusing his vehicle and his driving licence was confiscated by police. Uber services are illegal in Thailand.

And a speeding trailer truck lost control and crashed into five vehicles and two motorcycles before ramming into a roadside restaurant in Nong Bua Lamphu province late Thursday night, killing three diners and injuring eight others.

Police said the accident happened at 10pm on Highway No 210 in Nong Bua Lamphu’s Na Klang district.

The truck crashed into two cars, two pickup trucks, a van and two motorcycles before ramming into the Ocha Restaurant.

Police said Thongkham Piroonsunthorn, 50, a local resident, died at the scene after being hit by the front of the truck.

Two other patrons of the shop died at the Na Klang Hospital.

They were identified as Wichit Ariyapimak, 49, a construction contractor from Chon Buri province, and Wilasini Thaweechart, 26, a local resident.

The truck driver was identified as Runjuan Pongkwanoi, 30, from Chaiyaphum province. Police said he tested negative for alcohol and drug use.

Eyewitnesses told police that they saw the truck speeding alongside a pickup and a car before it swerved to the left and crashed into the parked vehicles and the shop.

Kunthon Kosaikan, 23, an assistant cook, said about 20 people were dining in the shop when the accident occurred. He said the shop owner and staff were safe.