By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter
KRABI — A public van driver in Krabi province has been fined and suspended from driving for a month after a viral video showed him punching a foreign motorcyclist whilst working.
Pornthep Petchsutthi confessed to assaulting the foreigner on Jan. 1 because the motorcyclist flashed a middle finger at him, police said.
The encounter was filmed on a dashcam by a motorist named Somboon Ajariyand, who later uploaded it to the internet. The video quickly became viral, drawing condemnation from internet users who believed the van driver’s actions damage Thailand’s reputation.
“People these days damage Thai people’s reputation … Help share this video so that this man won’t be able to live in the society,” wrote Somboon on his Facebook post, which was set to a “Public” audience.
Police Col. Thaksin Pochakorn, commander of a local police station, said Pornthep surrendered himself to police on Tuesday and was charged with physical assault.
According to Thaksin, the driver was on his way to drop Chinese passengers off at Krabi International Airport when the foreign motorcyclist kept swerving into his lane in a provocative manner. The foreigner also flashed his middle finger at Pornthep several times, Thaksin said.
The foreign motorcyclist remains unidentified, Police Col. Thaksin added.
Annop Hankit, an official at Krabi Land Transport Department, said Pornpetch is also suspended from driving for a month and was fined 5,000 baht for his “rude behavior.”
Additionally, the Department has put the company Pornpetch is working for – Pichet Transport Ltd – on a probation list. The company risks losing its eligibility to extend its operating license in the province if its staff commit more “wrongdoings” in the future, Annop said.
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