Violent crime plagues Thai tourism

SAMUT SAKHON, 28 June 2012: A British tourist was stabbed by a worker for an illegal tour bus in Samut Sakhon, adjacent to southeastern Bangkok, on Wednesday, MCOT reported Wednesday.

It follows the fatal stabbing of an Australian tourist last week on Phuket Island during a failed bag snatch robbery.

In the latest stabbing incident, Leigh Banks, 36, was wounded during a quarrel with a bus worker over valuables he said were missing from his wallet that he had left on board the bus.

He suffered a stab wound to the left side of his body. A passerby came to his assistance and called an ambulance to transfer him to Mahachai 1 Hospital where he received emergency treatment.

Before the incident, Mr Banks and his wife,  along with another 20 passengers travelled by bus from the southern province of Surat Thani to Bangkok.

Other passengers got off the bus along the way and only the couple were left when it stopped at a petrol station in Samut Sakhon, where the driver told them to wait for another bus to take them all the way to Bangkok.

After removing their cycles the bus left the station, but Mr Banks realised that he had left his wallet on the seat with cash in US dollars and his passport so he called bus driver to return.

The bus returned to the petrol station and Mr Banks retrieved his wallet, but claimed valuables were missing. During a heated quarrel, a bus worker stabbed Mr Banks and fled the scene.

A passerby, identified as Sumalee Yisunkaew, called for an ambulance and police assistance.

The police are searching for the bus, which was initially found to be operating illegally, without a proper license to transport tourists. (MCOT online news)

Sourced: ttrweekly