November 26th, 2025 – A 67-year-old orange vest motorcycle taxi (win) rider who is partially blind in one eye was reportedly viciously assaulted in the early hours of Wednesday morning after he says he politely asked a female mobile app delivery rider to move her passenger pickup spot slightly away from his designated stand.
The attack occurred at approximately 05:06 a.m. in Soi Chalerm Phrakiat 21 near a popular hotel. Rescue volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thamma Sathan Foundation rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a serious assault.
At the scene, rescuers found Mr. Somchai Sangkhawattan, 67, in a state of shock and fear. The elderly man, who has impaired vision in his left eye as a disability, suffered multiple bruises, a dislocated left shoulder, and other injuries across his body. His wife sat trembling beside him, constantly looking around in terror that the attackers might return. Medics provided first aid before transporting him to a local hospital.
According to Mr. Somchai who spoke to The Pattaya News team, the trouble began when he says he gently asked a female mobile app delivery rider to move a short distance away from his stand when picking up passengers, in line with local agreements. Unexpectedly, the woman took grave offence and became belligerent and threatening, despite being many decades younger.
Later, two young male riders arrived on a motorcycle carrying a green delivery bag. They allegedly shouted provocations in front of his stand. When the elderly man stepped out to see what was happening, one of the men allegedly immediately locked his neck and pressed a knife against his waist.
Mr Somchai managed to push the blade away. Despite his age and disability, Mr Somchai tried to flee, but he states that the assailants then punched, kicked, and stomped on him until he collapsed. He eventually crawled away and collapsed in front of a laundromat. Good Samaritans intervened and forced the attackers to flee.
Shockingly, after rescue workers had taken the victim to hospital, the same group returned to the soi said terrified neighbors, revving their engines loudly and circling the area in an apparent show of intimidation.
A sign at the location clearly requests delivery riders to pick up passengers at least 100 metres away from the official motorcycle taxi stand, in accordance with Department of Land Transport guidelines. The sign includes the Pattaya City Police emergency number and politely thanks riders for their cooperation.
Local residents and passers-by managed to record clear video footage of the assailants – including their faces and motorcycle registration plate – as they continued to verbally abuse the injured and disabled pensioner while his wife desperately wai’d and begged them to stop. CCTV cameras in the area also captured portions of the incident. All evidence has been handed to Pattaya police for prosecution.
The attack has sparked outrage in the community, with many witnesses and social media users condemning the brutal assault on an elderly, partially blind man by much younger riders over a minor territorial request.
Conflicts between traditional motorcycle taxi stands and app-based food-delivery riders have become increasingly common across Thailand, but the extreme violence used against a disabled senior citizen in this case has drawn particularly strong public condemnation. Police say they are actively reviewing the evidence to identify and arrest those responsible.
