BANGKOK — Footage spread Sunday of a driver who was caught on video raging and subsequently punching a motorcyclist who lightly shoved his vehicle, after the man allegedly tried to escape, and forcing him to prostrate to his car.
The video, posted at 2pm spread on a Facebook page called “If you wanna be famous, we can arrange it” (Yak Dang Diew Jad Hai) had been shared over 70,000 times by 10pm and liked more than 58,000 times. Police said the incident took place Friday.
In the one-minute video, the enraged driver, Acharanat “Nott” Ariyaritwikol, 28, a television host with GMM TV, was seen in the video clip dragging the man from across Charoen Krung Road near Taksin Bridge. The man was dragged to the yellow Mini Countryman, a car which costs THB 1.8 million baht.
The motorcyclist, Kittisak Singto, 25, a clerk at the Revenue Department, looked scared as the car owner asked why he hit him and fled. Acharanat grabs Kittisak by his jacket. After punching Kittisak three times, a bystander on the street asks why Acharanat was attacking the man instead of calling the police. The motorcyclist apologized after being punched the first time, which didn’t deter Acharanat from continuing the beating.
“Don’t speak bro, he hit and run,” Acharanat said to the bystander, as his friend repeated the same answer.
Toward the end of the video, the driver forced Kittisak to prostrate to his shiny luxurious car.
“Prostrate to my car!” Acharanat said.
Col. Pongsak Sab-laor, head of Yannawa police told Khaosod at 7:35pm on Sunday that the two had met Friday at the police station and that an agreement had been reached not to press charges. No police record was filed on that day.
Suthira Hongthong, 53, and Sukanya Singto, 29, the mother and sister of Kittisak filed a police complaint against Acharanat for assault at 7pm on Sunday. Acharanat went to see police at 7:50pm but refused to speak to the press.
GMM TV said Sunday that a press conference by Acharanat would take place at his office 2pm on Monday.
