The Grab taxi driver was legally trying to pick up tourists who had ordered a Grab taxi when he was attacked by the two men, who both worked as taxi drivers at a queue.
The Grab driver, 25-year-old Teerajet Chukaew, filed a formal complaint at Cherng Talay Police Station immediately after fleeing the attack.
He then took himself to hospital.
Cherng Talay Police officers went to the scene of the attack, near Bang Tao Beach at about 9am yesterday (Dec 4).
By amazing coincidence, the two men ‒ Kamjorn Kanyacharee, 48, and Bamrung Thipkonglat, 46 ‒ presented themselves at Cherng Talay Police Station at 10:30am.
Kamjorn admitted to police that he was the one who had “caused the incident” and carried out the assault.
Bamrung said he was a witness to the incident and was the one who intervened to dissuade Mr Kamjorn from “the incident”, namely the attack.
However, it was not explained exactly what efforts Bamrung made to prevent the assault.
Kamjorn admitted that he had approached Mr Teerajet to prevent him from picking up passengers who had ordered the Grab taxi as it was near the queue where Kamjorn was stationed.
Kamjorn apologised to the Grab taxi company and to “the driver”, namely Mr Teerajet.
He apologised “to all Phuket brothers and sisters for destroying the image of Phuket tourism”.
Police said they would proceed to press charges against Kamjorn. However, Cherng Talay Police have yet to confirm exactly which charges he will face.
Also yet to be clarified is that just minutes after the attack when Mr Teerajet reported the assault to police, he described two assailants.
Both of them approached him carrying pieces of wood.
One of the men punched him once and slapped him once. The other man struck Mr Teerajet on the back with the piece of wood four times and pushed him.
Mr Teerajet suffered wounds to his back and ribs, and suffered a punctured lung in the attack.