Motosai Taxis Headlock GrabBike Rider, Ignore Calls to Police (Video)

A still from the video clip showing GrabBike driver Apichart Maneerat being assaulted by motorcycle taxi drivers on Jan. 24, 2020.
A still from the video clip showing GrabBike driver Apichart Maneerat being assaulted by motorcycle taxi drivers on Jan. 24, 2020.

BANGKOK — A viral video published on Friday shows a Grab driver crying out in pain as he is beaten bloody by two motorcycle taxis in Bangkok.

In a footage recorded by a customer of the ride-hailing service and later posted by a Facebook page, two motorcycle taxi drivers can be seen headlocking and assaulting a GrabBike driver, later identified as Apichart Maneerat, while he was trying to pick up his passenger from her condominium in Soi Ratchadaphisek 36.

The customer can be seen in the video trying to break the fight, but all she could do was to record the video and call the police – a gesture ignored by the assailants. They eventually let GrabBike driver go, and he later filed a complaint to police.

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Police are questioning Apichart and the two motorcycle taxis as of publication time.

Speaking to reporters after the incident, Apichart said he could hear motorcycle taxi drivers, or wins, near the condominium shouted “What the fuck are you doing here?” before he replied that he was picking up his passenger.

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The wins then waited for his passenger to arrive, then charged at him and punched him in the ears, Apichart said.

Confrontations between state-regulated motorcycle taxis, or wins, and private ride-hailing applications are known to have made headlines. The taxis have long accused private drivers of operating outside the law and “stealing” their customers.

Last December, a passenger was shoved off her bike in front of Siam Paragon by a local motorcycle taxi driver while she was trying to take GrabBike back home.