A taxi motorcyclist was fined for kicking and punching a German tourist in the face in front of the Pattaya police station Wednesday.
Pol Capt Chanikarn Phuanpinit, an officer of the Pattaya Police station, said Sunthorn Saenkham, 48, was fined shortly after the attack, which was captured on a video clip that was widely shared on Facebook. Chanikarn said the motorcyclist claimed the tourist was abusive to him first. Chanikarn said the tourist, whose name was not disclosed, parked his rented motorcycle in violation of the parking ban. Its wheel had been locked and the police were about to take it to the police station where he would have to pay a fine before the bike was released.
The tourist attempted to resist the seizure of the motorcycle by trying to lift it away when the taxi motorcyclist attacked him. The clip showed that Sunthorn came from nowhere and kicked the tourist in the face and punched him. The Facebook post generated a lot of criticism against the taxi motorcyclist. One Facebook user said the motorcycle taxi stand at that spot was notorious for demanding high fees from motorists after their vehicles were locked for violating parking bans. The taxi motorcyclists would them offer to take them to the police station. Arguments inevitably ensued if the car owners refused to use the service, the post said. P1 – EP
