A motorbike taxi driver ensured himself a lifetime of tickets after being arrested for brutalizing the head of the Pattaya Traffic Police.
Santi Wongwai, 27, was apprehended by a volunteer police officer June 9 outside Central Center in North Pattaya. Sitting nearby was a blood-soaked Sen. Sgt. Maj. Natthapol Dokchourung, Pattaya’s lead traffic cop, who had been struck in the bridge of the nose with his 38-caliber handgun.
It’s almost guaranteed that Santi Wongwai, who attacked Pattaya’s top traffic cop, won’t look so smug after a couple hours behind bars.
Officers interrogating Santi claimed the Nong Plalai man admitted to taking Natthapol’s gun and striking the officer in the face, but claimed he didn’t realize the victim was a police officer.
Natthapol said he’d spotted Santi driving on Second Road and believed the man was drunk, so he followed and later stopped him. The officer said the taxi driver became angry at being stopped and refused to believe Natthapol was actually a police officer, as he was off duty and did not flash his badge. An argument ensued and during the scuffle Santi said he took the gun and hit the policeman.
Natthapol was treated with 15 stitches across the nose. Santi was booked for assault.
