Farang murdered over 51 Baht.

[Somchai Turdsak]

Article from the Bangkok Post:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/ ... ing-us-man
Note it was a metered fare. Sukhumvit, at that time of the day, and in that area, does have bad traffic that hardly ever moves. As in anywhere else in the world, the meter will increase in increments for both mileage and elapsed time in stuck traffic. He was lucky he even got a cab to take him where he was going, most drivers would not even consider that route at that time of day.

If he was so incensed, he should have just paid and gotten out of the taxi. The driver would probably be upset to be stuck in traffic and lose the fare, but at least he'd have been paid for the trip.
I certainly do not condone what the driver did, but the farang bloke, having been here long enough, should have known better than to get out of a cab without paying.

Again you're taking what the driver/murder claims at face value. Until I see further evidence, I'm not convinced the victim was his passenger at all. Just an unfortunate pedestrian who happened to be in the wrong block when Somchai got news his tilac left him for a paleface cheese-eater. He snaps and chops up the first farang he sees. These details about fare dispute, and coffee, and argument are dubious at best.

[VincentD]

Somchai
while you may not be convinced the victim could have been a passenger or not, it is quite unlikely that the driver would abandon his airconditioned vehicle in the middle of the mother of all traffic jams to go mug an unfortunate pedestrian who happened to pass by his taxi in said jam. That said, I still don't condone the act and its consequences.

[Ginjaninja]

This is one of the same guys listed on this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24161

http://farangdeath.tumblr.com/

He worked for Caterpillar Thailand, perhaps more likely he has pissed someone off... that's the way it goes here right??

GN.

[charlesh]

Got a taxi from DM 7 days ago to Vic Monument only to discover that there was a 50 Bht surcharge. Glad I paid it!
The taxi was spotless and the driver well presented. Had earlier been approached by a person promising to get me to Vic Mon quicker but when I pressed the meter issue was told I could either take it or leave it. I rejoined the queue and waited 2 more minutes. Was also given a company addressed letter-gram to post if I was dissatisfied with the legit taxi service.
Does pay to be careful.

[STEVE G]

Again you're taking what the driver/murder claims at face value. Until I see further evidence, I'm not convinced the victim was his passenger at all. Just an unfortunate pedestrian who happened to be in the wrong block when Somchai got news his tilac left him for a paleface cheese-eater. He snaps and chops up the first farang he sees. These details about fare dispute, and coffee, and argument are dubious at best.

It would make no difference to him as he has confessed to the killing and his version of events offer no defense. The way I understand that Thai law works, if you give a full confession to murder you will almost certainly get life imprisonment instead of capital punishment but if you're later found out to be lying, it's back to the chop. That's why so many murder cases in Thailand get resolved with a confession.

[Nereus]

As the victims sister has pointed out, we are never going to know just what did happen.
.........................................................................................................
Victim's sister, wife, lash out at 'killer' taxi driver

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... at-killing

The sister of an American man fatally wounded in Bangkok after a dispute with a taxi driver last weekend fears the victim's Thai family will face financial ruin as a result of his death.

Troy Lee Pilkington died after being attacked with a long knife about 8.30pm on July 6. Taxi driver Cherdchai Utamacha, 32, has confessed to the attack and been charged with murder, police said.

The 51-year-old American had been living in Thailand for four years and was married to a Thai woman for three.

His sister, Tracy Pilkington-Shaffer, told the Bangkok Post Sunday she fears her brother's Thai family will now be unable to cope financially without him.

Pilkington's wife and her son, as well as her two sisters and the three children of one sister, all lived together in a Bangkok home paid for by the Thailand arm of US machinery company Caterpillar Inc, where the victim worked.

He also sent money every month to his wife's parents, and paid their medical bills, Ms Pilkington-Shaffer said.

"My brother had been supporting all of them," she said.

"He paid for his wife's son and the three children of his wife's sister to goto private schools.

"One of them graduated and he was paying for her to go to nursing school.

Now their whole world will change.

"They can stay in the house for a little bit longer, but then what?

"This taxi driver ... not only killed my brother, but he also totally destroyed a Thai family."

.......................a lot more at the link.................and a photo of the "knife/ machete"

[playboy]

Hello;
I did not read all of your posts but got some ideas about what are you writing about and I read about the man in Bangkok got kill for 51 baht because of arguement with Taxi driver in Bangkokpost. We don't really know what was really happened in that moment but just his words against the death man.

I think your guys did not read much of thai's news paper about how many Taxi drivers do not pick up thai customers! They want only Farangs! and refused to pick up thai customers because they know that they will get better money than thai customers. They will have all the excuses when being stop by thai customers or just ignored thai customers. It is a hot news in Bangkok couple weeks ago. Thai customers are so upset with the taxi drivers. They have the hot lines to complain about the taxi number who refused to pick up customer. But that still does not work since no one will enforce it.
What I want to say is that those Taxi drivers are the pain in behind not only for Farangs but also for Thais. So please be careful, I don't mean that you should be scared but just to see if it worth to fight for! If you live in Phuket or Samui you will understand how bad are those taxis mafia are. They can rip you off just right that, no matter you are Farangs or Thais.

[Name Taken]

Most thai taxi drivers are crazy uneducated yabba fiends.