Pattaya —
A group of motorcycle taxi drivers in Pattaya is facing backlash after they were caught allegedly extorting money from a ride-hailing driver.
The Facebook page “เจ๊ม๊อย v+” recently posted an image showing the behavior of a motorcycle taxi driver from a stand on North Pattaya Road. The driver was seen allegedly attempting to intimidate and extort money from a taxi driver.
According to the page, the story stemmed from a young Thai woman who initially planned to take a bus back to Bangkok, but the earliest bus was fully booked. She then decided to book a car via an app to return to Bangkok.
However, a group of men, who reportedly came from a nearby motorcycle taxi stand, refused to let the car take the woman. One man wearing a mask then allegedly demanded 300 baht from the taxi driver, which he paid.
Ultimately, the young woman returned 300 baht to the taxi driver. She also filmed the incident, questioning the driver’s behavior to demand money from another and prevent her from using a ride-sharing service.
On January 15th, The Pattaya News reporters visited the scene. The incident took place near the Roongrueng Tour bus station on North Pattaya Road. When the reporters arrived, they saw a man wearing a motorcycle taxi uniform with the number 2, who was seen in the video. Upon noticing the press, he quickly rode off on his motorcycle.
The reporter was able to speak with another motorcycle taxi driver who has been working at the bus station for over 20 years. He explained that the stand causing the issue is operated by a separate group, located at the front of the station.
He acknowledged that in the past, there were conflicts between the motorcycle taxi stands. However, these disputes were not over customer competition.
The reporters also reached out to the involved ride-hailing driver, who was from Samut Prakan province, but was unable to make contact. Initial information revealed that the taxi driver had received a ride request via an app to Bangkok but stopped to pick up the passenger in front of the motorcycle stand. He was then forced to give the men 300 baht.
According to reports, this group of motorcycle taxi drivers had previously made headline in March 2024 when they violently attacked ride-hailing drivers with clubs and golf clubs. The same group appears in the most recent video.
Social media users are calling for relevant officials to take action. TPN Media notes that Bolt is legal in Thailand but requires proper registration of public transport.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have a General news tip, press release, question, comment, etc? We are not interested in SEO proposals. Mail us at Tips@ThePattayanews.com