Aussie beaten up by Phuket tuktuk drivers

[izzix]

Photo by phuketwan.com

Phuket Tuk-Tuk Drivers Accused of Bashing Aussie Tourist

By Sert Tongdee and Rattanawan Vatcharasorat
Friday, August 3, 2012

PHUKET: The Commander of Phuket's police is investigating claims that a gang of tuk-tuk drivers in Patong beat up an Australian tourist.

The violence came on August 1 - at 2am on the first day of the new ''Patong Safety Zone'' project.

Although the tuk-tuk drivers say that Peter Hulands, 45, started the fight, it is Mr Hulands who will probably require plastic surgery on a depressed fracture of the cheek.

Tuk-tuk drivers in Patong have a reputation for ignoring requests that they call police officers to settle disputes and usually resort to gang attacks.

Police at Kathu station in Patong have yet to find the driver who allegedly punched Mr Hulands in a dispute over derogatory remarks allegedly made by the driver to Mr Hulands' girlfriend as the pair sought a ride back to their resort early on Wednesday morning.

Phuket Police Commander Major General Chonsit Wadhnawarangkun has been told about the controversial beating and is aware of the sensitive state of the tourism industry and ongoing violence.

''We have to determine the rights and wrongs of each case on the evidence available,'' he told Phuketwan. ''At this stage the investigation is still underway.''

He said one group of police were looking for possible security camera footage. A second group was asking people at all hospitals to see where Mr Hulands was treated. A third team is seeking the tuk-tuk drivers.

It is believed the tuk-tuk driver was waiting at the top of Soi Bangla, outside Rock City, when Mr Hulands and his girlfriend sought a ride back to their resort.

After the driver made a remark, it's alleged that Mr Hulands grabbed the driver around the throat and swore at him, and was punched in response. Mr Hulands left the scene but later returned and tried to retaliate, police have been told.

At that point he was set upon by several tuk-tuk drivers.

Security camera footage may be problematic because only 14 cameras of the 31 in the central Patong entertainment area are operating.

Meetings have been taking place talking of ways of making Patong safer with a network of cameras and a heightened police presence, but in practical terms the upgrade has yet to be implemented.

Police say they believe Mr Hulands has been involved in an altercation on Phuket on a previous visit.

Mr Hulands alerted a Phuket newspaper to his latest predicament and provided a photograph of his damaged face.
__________________

[Panty Hamster]

Police say they believe Mr Hulands has been involved in an altercation on Phuket on a previous visit.

Bogans can be a hard-headed lot.

[daviddc]

bogan....?

[grievous]

The term bogan is Australian and New Zealand slang, usually pejorative or self-deprecating, for an individual who is recognised to be from an unsophisticated background or someone whose limited education, speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplifies a lack of manners and education.[1] While bogan is widely recognised, localised names exist that describe the same or very similar groups of people.[2]

[cali4995]

i'm going to side with the aussie. even here the tuk-tuk guys do exactly the same thing ( to a lesser degree) that is driving
around town all day long , accosting everyone , and if you decline a fare , they insult you. it is a STUPID strategy to cultivate
a customer base. they also find it amusing to yell " HEY YOU! " at every farang they come across , they know it's rude ? again
STUPID they seem all too often to be the worst of the worst among thai people. i fully believe the taxi driver
may have said derogatory things about the man or his GF. this is EXACTLY the type of childlike mentality they have. for two years around
town i've completely ignored them. now i insult them back, loudly. and like the cowardly dogs they are, they slink away to annoy someone else.
until these guys are regulated ( background checks as they should have shuttling kids to school) some basic training in manners, required
registration and safety checks of vehicles (as they should also have) it won't ever change. what i'm saying is, it won't every change.

[izzix]

presumably he was with a night worker and taxi drivers are notoriously rude and insulting if you climb aboard with one.
i expect the driver made insulting remarks

[Turbo Noodles]

not a thai girlfriend.
Before..


and after..

Mr Hulands and and his partner Karyn Connors, 51, were walking past a tuk-tuk stand on Rat U-thit 200 Pi Road, opposite Rock City in Patong, around 2.30am on Tuesday, when several tuk-tuk drivers called out some words, apparently sexual, in relation to the cat-like hat Ms Connors was wearing.

Ms Connors said Mr Hulands then walked back to the drivers and confronted them about what they had said, and asked them to clarify it.

She says the tuk-tuk drivers then pulled her partner to the ground and kicked him. He was taken to Patong Hospital and was later transferred to Bangkok Hospital Phuket to receive treatment for his severely broken nose and eye socket. He is expected to need plastic surgery.

On Wednesday (August 1) the couple reported the incident to Kathu Police.

“We love Thailand,” Ms Connors said.

“We have nothing to complain about except for this incident and the way we have been treated by police. It’s not okay to beat people senselessly.”

Phuket Police dispute the couple's claims and said the tuk-tuk drivers said it was Mr Hulands who started the fight.

The couple will meet with an official from an Australian Embassy today to discuss the incident.

Both Mr Hulands and Ms Connors have been regular visitors to Phuket over the years. They plan to return to Australia next week.

[cali4995]

and that's what all too many 16-50 year-old thai boys do. they like to play a game called A-N-N-O-Y. it involves
inappropriate staring. endlessly running their mouths. and pretty much anything else they can think of to get your dander up. mistake
to confront the pack though. and of course the police simply accept the mob's version. even if everyone knows they're serial liars.

[realbigmonkey]

statistics..how many incidents withh tuk tuk drivers are there,well i dont know ,but i read about them weekly. i wonder how many tourists wil be beaten up by mobs of taxi drivers in london during the olmpics?

[saint]

Six of one , half a dozen on the other is my guess . Tuk Tuk drivers showing off in front of their mates . Him wanting to be superman in front of his squeeze . I dare say alcohol was involved also . When will these idiots learn , you will never win against a Thai , never ! . Those of us who live here like saboo recently have the good sense to walk away from any snide comments , insults , or incidents . Shit happens in ever corner of the world , but you dont have to always step in it , do you ?