An unlikely place for road rage

Posted by admin on January 29th, 2010 filed in Living here, The locals, Tourist tips, Uncategorized

I know that sometimes driving in Phuket can be a pretty hairy experience, but I have to admit that news of a road rage killing shocked even me.

Road rage is pretty common in hectic places such as London and Rome, but who would have thought that driving on Phuket’s coastal roads could ever get that stressful.

Sure, you may come across the odd upperty tuk-tuk driver who’s a bit happy with his horn every now and again, but this latest incident is beyond belief and allegedly provoked by a ‘farang’.

 Pittaya Srijitraporn, 32, this week confessed to stabbing German Wolf-Dieter Eugen Kesselheim, 66, three times in a fight. Mr Kesselheim, who was apparently beeping the his horn and swearing at the motorcyclist near the Chalong Circle on Wednesday, died from his injuries.

 It is not clear why the altercation occurred, but Srijitraporn claimed that he stabbed the German tourist after his was held in a headlock prior to stopping his bike.

The Thai national said that he didn’t think his actions would kill Mr Kesselheim and that he often worked with tourists. He is well known around the Kata viewpoint area for helping photographers take pictures of sea eagles.