Motorcycle taxi drivers meet police over assault video

Police have summoned the two suspects.

Acting Metropolitan Police chief Lt-General Sanit Mahathaworn said yesterday the incident to place on September 3 at about 4pm. 

Bang Sue superintendent Colonel Panudech Sukwong is in charge of the investigation.

Piyapong Phochan, 27, and Somsak Pongkularp, 42, surrendered at Bang Sue Police Station after seeing the clip went viral and confessed to having attacked the man, Sanit said. He said Piyapong told police that he was upset over the victim scolding them for using the bicycle lane. 

Sanit said Piyapong has been hit with a traffic violation for riding a motorbike in a bicycle lane and faced a Bt1,000 fine.

He said police would have to get the victim’s testimony and see if he had any injuries before taking further action against the duo.

In the video clip, the two motorbike taxi drivers are seen attacking the man on the bicycle lane, with one of the drivers hitting the man with a plastic chair. Panudech said that witnesses told police it was likely the drivers and the victim did not know one another.

The victim was riding on a motorcycle with his girlfriend when he saw the drivers using the bicycle lane so he pulled over and went to talk to them, resulting in an argument that escalated into assault. The incident has shined a light on the issue of motorcyclists using footpaths. 

The 1992 Act on Maintaining the Country’s Cleanliness And Tidiness states motorists are prohibited from parking or driving on footpaths unless at the entrance of a building. Offenders can be hit with a fine of up to Bt5,000.

The same law states that people who witness such an offence should report it to police and split the fine with the officer who issues the fine.