Police have arrested a Myanmar man suspected of assaulting a 61-year-old rider, resulting in blindness in his right eye and permanent disability over a 50-baht toll fee dispute. After more than three months of delay, the suspect expressed relief and thanked the police for the arrest.
Updates in the case of a 61-year-old app-based hired driver assaulted by five Myanmar passengers, suffering severe injuries and permanent loss of sight in his right eye due to a dispute over a 50-baht toll fee. The case went unresolved for over three months until the victim sought justice through the "Sai Mai Must Survive" Facebook page. Recently, investigators at Bang Kaeo Police Station arrested one suspect and charged him with aggravated assault causing serious injury, proceeding with legal action.
At 11:00 on 7 Jul 2026, Mr. Aekphop Lueangprasert, founder of the "Sai Mai Must Survive" page, accompanied the 61-year-old victim, Mr. Supachai, to meet Police Colonel Phisut Chantasuwan, superintendent of Bang Kaeo Police Station, to follow up on the case after over three months without arresting the perpetrator.
Mr. Supachai recounted that the incident occurred on 12 Apr 2026 between 13:00 and 14:00. He had accepted a job via an app to pick up five Myanmar passengers—three men and two women—from Mo Chit Bus Terminal to a hotel on Kingkaew Road, Rachathewa Subdistrict, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province, using a seven-seat Toyota SUV. During the trip, he asked if they wanted to use the tollway due to traffic congestion. The passengers agreed, so he paid the 50-baht toll fee in advance.
Upon reaching the destination, the app showed a fare of 720 baht. He requested the toll fee of 50 baht on top, totaling 770 baht, but the passengers refused to pay the toll and accused him of fraud. An argument ensued. The Myanmar man who booked the ride and sat in the front tried to take a photo, which Mr. Supachai objected to, leading to a struggle before he was assaulted until unconscious. The assailants fled without paying the fare.
The victim revealed that when he regained consciousness, he was at Bang Phli Hospital. Doctors diagnosed a fractured right eye socket, brain hemorrhage, head trauma, and severe damage to his right eye causing permanent blindness. He still experiences headaches and dizziness intermittently, is unable to return to his driving job, and has been registered as disabled.
After discharge on 18 Apr 2026, the victim filed a complaint at Bang Kaeo Police Station but learned that police only had the suspect’s name and passport number without address or workplace details, complicating the search despite coordination with immigration and related agencies. As a result, the case stalled.
Mr. Aekphop Lueangprasert stated that the case should not be complicated since the incident occurred in front of a hotel likely covered by CCTV. He urged police to expedite arresting the suspect to deliver justice to the victim.
Recently, Bang Kaeo Police investigators arrested 26-year-old Myanmar national Tan Sin Win under arrest warrant No. 618/2569 dated 3 July 2026 from Samut Prakan Province on charges of aggravated assault causing serious injury. The arrest occurred at a company in Chonburi Province, and the suspect was brought to Bang Kaeo Police Station for interrogation.
In initial questioning, Tan Sin Win confessed to the assault but claimed he acted alone. He said he had booked the ride via app from Mo Chit Bus Terminal to a hotel in Kingkaew area and argued with the victim over the fare and toll fee upon arrival. He claimed a struggle occurred during which he only grabbed and threw the victim to the ground, causing facial injury, and denied punching as alleged by the victim.
Police Colonel Phisut Chantasuwan, superintendent of Bang Kaeo Police Station, ordered charges of aggravated assault causing serious injury against the suspect, who was handed over to investigators for prosecution. Authorities will continue gathering evidence and expand the investigation to identify other involved parties.
After news of the arrest, victim Mr. Supachai expressed relief and gratitude to Bang Kaeo Police Station for apprehending the suspect after waiting over three months. He hopes the justice system will fully prosecute the assailant to restore fairness after losing sight in his right eye and being unable to work.