PHUKET — A Thai van driver has filed a police report after being assaulted by a foreign tourist during a traffic dispute on Chaloem Phra Kiat Rama 9 Road in Ratsada district, Phuket.
Saroj Jakthong reported the incident at Phuket City Police Station on April 7, claiming he was punched in the ear by a British man during a roadside argument. Police instructed Saroj to undergo a medical examination to document his injuries.
The confrontation was captured on dashboard camera footage that has since been shared on social media. The video shows a foreign tourist driving a black pickup truck overtaking Saroj’s van before cutting in front of him, stopping, and exiting his vehicle to argue with the van driver.
The situation quickly escalated when the tourist suddenly punched Saroj in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. Another man who was standing nearby almost got punched as well.
In an interview, Saroj said the incident occurred around 9:10 PM on April 6. He was driving along the bypass road past Premium Outlet when he had to merge lanes at a bottleneck. Suddenly, a Ford pickup truck overtook him on the right and cut in front, prompting Saroj to honk his horn as a warning while braking. The other driver responded by swerving back and forth in front of him. The entire incident was recorded by another van driver who happened to be following behind.
“I got out to talk politely, telling the foreigner that his driving was dangerous and asking him to be more careful,” Saroj explained. “But he immediately punched me, knocking me down. Fortunately, no other vehicles were passing by at that moment.”
The British tourist then drove away, and although Saroj attempted to follow, he couldn’t catch up and called the police emergency number 191 instead. Officers advised him to file a report if he had video evidence. After obtaining footage from the van behind him, Saroj went to file a complaint, but had to wait until the next day for a medical examination as no specialist was available at the hospital that night.
The Investigation Division of Phuket City Police Station quickly identified the perpetrator as Mr. Joseph, a 31-year-old British tourist who had been granted permission to stay in Thailand for tourism purposes until April 22.
The medical examination report from Dibuk Hospital in Phuket stated that Saroj’s injuries would require approximately 7 days of treatment. On April 8, police charged Mr. Joseph with assault causing physical or mental harm. He confessed to all charges.
When Saroj encountered the British tourist at the police station, Mr. Joseph reportedly apologized with a traditional Thai wai gesture. However, Saroj refused to settle the matter out of court. Regarding civil damages, the parties were unable to reach an agreement and both intend to pursue the matter through legal channels.
____________
