British businessman faces deportation after Phuket tuk-tuk fare dispute
A British businessman accused of attacking a Phuket tuk-tuk driver in a 300 baht fare dispute is being held in custody pending deportation after immigration officers revoked his business visa.
A 33-year-old British businessman is facing deportation after police in Phuket accused him of attacking a tuk-tuk driver during a fare dispute.
The incident happened in the early hours of July 2. Shane Daniel Correia allegedly refused to pay a 300 baht fare for a ride from Soi Bangla to Soi Nanai, then punched driver Chalong Kamplong.
Footage cited by the source shows the tourist shouting threats, slapping away the driver’s phone and knocking him down with a blow to the head. The source said he then fled the scene with two women in a pickup truck.
Kamplong was taken to hospital with facial injuries that required eight stitches before reporting the case to police.
Officers later tracked down Correia at his condominium and revoked his business visa, describing him as a threat to society, public peace and safety. He is being held in custody at Phuket Immigration pending deportation after court proceedings conclude.
The suspect, who legally owns a cannabis dispensary on the island, was due to be taken to Phuket provincial court on July 3, according to the source.
The source also said records show Correia was previously jailed for five years in the UK after a 2023 incident in which he fractured a student’s jaw during a noise dispute.
