Foreign man allegedly assaulted Phuket tuk-tuk driver over unpaid fare

A foreign man allegedly struck a Phuket tuk-tuk driver on the head with a beer bottle after refusing to pay his fare at a hotel in Kathu district, according to reports cited from Phuket Times and MGR Online on 1 October 2026.

The driver said he had picked up the man and a woman from Bangla Road and taken them to a hotel. The man reportedly said he had no cash, handed over his phone as security and asked the driver to return an hour later for payment.

When the driver returned, hotel staff called the man downstairs. The driver said the man appeared heavily intoxicated and told him he had been arguing with his girlfriend. The driver then asked him to settle the fare.

The man allegedly became angry, took back his phone and tore the driver’s shirt before hitting him on the head with a beer bottle. He then left the hotel without paying, according to the driver’s account.

The driver subsequently filed a complaint with police. The reports did not provide further details about the investigation or say whether the alleged attacker had been identified.