Phuket-
A minivan taxi driver was fined 5,000 baht for dumping two Russian passengers off on a random road to try to avoid a police checkpoint in Phuket.
Major Kamalart Niyomket of the Phuket City Traffic Police told the Phuket Express that the issue came to light after the story of a minivan taxi driver dumping foreign passengers had gone viral on social media on Tuesday (October 3rd).
The details of the incident are that after noon on October 3rd, Phuket law enforcement set up a checkpoint on the Bypass Road (Chalerm Phrakiet Rama 9 Road) in Rassada, Mueang Phuket to strictly check minivan taxis for licenses and registration and ensure they were legal. Law enforcement spotted a minivan trying to avoid the checkpoint and turn around about 400 meters behind the officers. However, the road was a one-way road and the minivan was unable to turn back.
The minivan was stopped and the driver was only identified to the media as Mr. A, age 31. The minivan tax was found expired and the driver was not registered as a taxi and Mr. A later admitted to police that he asked two Russian passengers to get out of the minivan before the checkpoint, essentially dumping them because he wasn’t supposed to be a taxi, which then went viral on social media due to a video taken by the Russians.
The minivan driver was taken to the Phuket City Police Station to face charges of dropping passengers off before their destination and for operating an illegal taxi. He was facing the maximum fine of 5,000 baht.
