Bang kaeo: Bang Kaeo police arrested a Myanmar national for assaulting a 61-year-old delivery rider, causing him to go blind, over a dispute about a 50-baht toll fee. The case has dragged on for over three months.

According to Thai News Agency, the incident involves a ride-hailing driver who accepted a job to transport five Myanmar passengers from Mo Chit Bus Terminal to a hotel in the King Kaew area, Samut Prakan Province, using a 7-seater SUV. The driver proposed using the expressway due to traffic congestion, which the passengers agreed to, and he paid the 50 baht toll fee in advance.

Upon arrival, the application showed a fare of 720 baht. The driver requested the total amount, including the toll fee, bringing the sum to 770 baht. However, the passenger accused the driver of cheating and refused to pay the toll fee, escalating into a physical altercation. The driver was assaulted, lost consciousness, and was later found in Bang Phli Hospital with a fractured right eye socket, brain bleeding, a concussion, and severe damage to his right eye, resulting in permanent vision loss. The victim, now registered as a disabled person, suffers from intermittent headaches and dizziness and can no longer work as a taxi driver.

The victim initially filed a police report, but the case remained unresolved for over three months. He then sought justice through the "Sai Mai Must Survive" Facebook page. Recently, investigators from Bang Kaeo Police Station arrested a suspect and charged him with assault causing serious injury, initiating legal proceedings.

During the investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime but claimed to have acted alone, stating he only grabbed the victim and threw him to the ground, resulting in the injury. He denied punching the victim. The police have charged him with assault causing grievous bodily harm and taken him into custody for further investigation, while continuing to gather evidence to identify other individuals involved.