A Pattaya motorbike taxi driver was fined 500 baht for kicking a troublemaking German tourist in the face.
Suntorn Saenkham, 48, turned himself in May 16 and apologized to the public and victim Andreas Bruer for the assault. However, he noted, what actually transpired in the incident, part of which was captured on video and uploaded to the internet, was not as it seemed.
The viral video caught only the last part of the confrontation, with Bruer getting kicked in the face. But what happened before – which also was filmed and uploaded separately – gave the incident context, although not justification for the cabbie’s actions.
Pattaya traffic police pulled over Bruer and asked to see his license, which he couldn’t provide. So officers locked the bike and took his keys, which set off the German.
He began shouting and cursing at police and demanding his bike be unlocked. Suntorn took it upon himself to aid the police and attacked the foreign man.
Suntorn apologized and promised never to do it again.
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