PATTAYA, THAILAND – A late-night dispute over the equivalent of just a few cents between a motorbike taxi app driver and two Russian tourists in Pattaya triggered a broad online debate.
Early-morning fare dispute in South Pattaya
The conflict occurred in the early hours of 25 January 2026 in South Pattaya, near the well-known Walking Street. The 24-year-old driver, Apisit PhakawatmAnop, nicknamed “Got,” had accepted a ride-hailing order to Soi Phratamnak 6, where two foreign women were waiting whom he described as Russian tourists.
Agreed price challenged at the hotel
Because he spoke only limited English, Apisit said he used a translation app to explain the conditions of the ride. He told the women that the fare would be charged twice because there were two passengers, and
“They agreed to it before they got on,”
said Apisit, driver.
On arrival at the hotel, the app showed a fare of 31 baht, according to Apisit. For two people this would have been 62 baht, but he asked for 60 baht for convenience, and said one of the women handed over only 40 baht.
Comment over cost triggers escalation
When he requested the missing 20 baht via the translation app, one of the tourists reportedly replied that
“not even a car ride is that expensive, this is only a motorcycle,”
said the driver, and then turned away. At that point the situation escalated and Apisit began filming the incident with his mobile phone.
Viral video and split reactions online
In the clip, he could be heard shouting loudly in Thai and using strong, vulgar language towards the two women as they stood in front of a hotel. The video was first posted on the Facebook page “Social Hunter 2022”, where the caption questioned whether it was justified to charge double for two passengers when the app showed only a small amount and used the hashtag #Pattaya.
The footage spread quickly and divided users: some criticised the driver for his aggressive behaviour and insults towards paying customers. Others defended him, pointing to allegedly frequent problems with Russian tourists who reduced agreed fares or did not pay them in full.
Other drivers report similar experiences
Several other delivery and app drivers commented that they had had similar experiences with certain Russian guests in the area. They described recurring disputes over relatively small fare amounts and partial payments.
Driver admits losing temper and asks for leniency
On 27 January 2026, reporters visited South Pattaya and spoke to Apisit at the scene. He confirmed that he had lost control during the argument and said,
“I was very angry and insulted them, as you can see in the video.”
said Apisit, driver.
He also stressed that, from his perspective, the tourists had not honoured a previously agreed fare. Although the women apparently became willing to pay more in the end, he said he had refused to take any additional money because he was too angry.
Reliance on translation apps at the heart of tensions
Apisit explained that he relied on translation apps to communicate with foreign customers and asked the online community not to judge him too harshly.
“I regret that I lost my composure, but they broke the agreement,”
said the driver.