PATTAYA, Thailand – A 27-year-old woman has filed a police complaint after alleging she was sexually harassed by a ride-hailing driver during a trip in Pattaya, with the incident reportedly escalating even after she reached her accommodation. The woman, identified as Ms. May from Phichit province, shared her account and video evidence on social media, where it quickly went viral and sparked widespread concern over passenger safety in app-based transport services.
According to her statement, the incident occurred on the morning of May 30 when she and two companions used a ride-hailing application to travel from South Pattaya. After dropping off her friends, she added an extra 200 baht for the driver to take her to another nearby hotel. She alleged that shortly after the journey continued, the driver locked the vehicle doors and began making unwanted physical contact, including touching her body and behaving inappropriately while asking to see her tattoos. She further claimed the driver also engaged in sexual acts with himself during the ride.
Fearing for her safety, she said she complied with requests to exchange contact details in order to be released from the vehicle and exited immediately once the driver unlocked the doors. However, the situation reportedly did not end there. The woman said the driver remained parked near her accommodation for nearly an hour and repeatedly attempted to call her. Feeling unsafe, she contacted a relative to stay with her. She further alleged that after she answered one of the calls, the driver claimed she had left a lipstick behind and used it as a reason to return. Shortly afterward, he allegedly entered her hotel room, where her relative had already arrived and recorded video footage confronting him before he left the scene.
Following the incident, she filed a complaint with Pattaya City Police Station and is seeking legal action against the driver. She also claimed that the driver and his partner later contacted her multiple times, urging her to delete the video, which she refused. The case has triggered strong reactions online, with calls for stricter screening and enforcement measures for ride-hailing drivers, particularly in tourist-heavy destinations such as Pattaya. The victim said she shared her experience to warn other passengers, especially women who frequently rely on app-based transport services.
