The incident happened yesterday afternoon near the Central Phuket intersection of Chaloem Phrakiat Rama 9 Road, heading south and was very quickly posted on social media by witnesses who snapped footage of the agitated driver confronting the taxi driver.
Officials at the Phuket Transport Office were informed of the incident who duely contacted Wichit police to deal with the matter.
Pol. Col. Chatri Chukaew, superintendent of Wichit Police Station, ordered a team to investigate the matter who were very quickly able to identify the driver of the white Toyota van via the vehicle’s license plates before tracking him down to an address in Thalang.
The offender was subsequently identified as 57-year-old Thanongsak Maenman, of Village No. 1, Thepkrasattri Subdistrict, Thalang.
Police took the man to Wichit police station where blood and urine tests were conducted to determine any traces of alcohol or drugs – both tests returned negative, police confirmed.
In relaying his version of the incident to police, Mr Thanongsak claimed the driver of the yellow-plated, Phuket-registered taxi was driving extremely slowly in the right hand lane. Angered at the slow pace, Mr Thanongsak sounded his horn before pulling along side the taxi as traffic slowed. He then proceeded to exit his vehicle and advance to the driver’s side of the taxi where a heated argument ensued. Mr Thanongsak then pulled a fruit peeler style knife and threatened the driver before the latter managed to drive away.
The taxi driver subsequently lodged an official complaint with Wichit Police who then charged Mr Thanongsak, once he had been apprehended.
He was charged with “taking a weapon (knife) into a city, village or public way openly or without reasonable cause [and] causing others to be afraid or frightened by threatening behaviour.” Legal action and formal charges will follow in due course, police confirmed.