In recent news, a chilling incident has come to light where a group of Malaysian tourists narrowly escaped an alleged kidnapping attempt by an e-hailing driver during their trip to Thailand. The incident occurred on the last day of their vacation in Bangkok.
The suspicious driver
The journey began innocently enough when Tong and his friends booked a ride via the inDrive e-hailing app to reach Don Mueang International Airport on September 4th.
The car, an Isuzu D-Max, arrived at their hotel at 7 pm. However, their apprehensions started to rise when they noticed that the vehicle’s windows were heavily tinted, obscuring their view of the outside world.
The Ominous Phone Call
What made the situation even more unnerving was the behavior of the e-hailing driver. Throughout the entire ride, the driver remained engrossed in a phone call with an undisclosed individual, refusing to disconnect. This constant conversation on the phone raised red flags and deepened their concerns.
Things took a sinister turn when Tong, who understood Thai, realized that the driver was providing detailed information about them to the person on the other end of the line.
The driver went as far as describing the passengers, specifying their gender, nationality, and other personal details. Tong recounted the driver’s alarming conversation, “Now I’m fetching three girls in the car, and two of their friends from Malaysia. Got boys and girls.”
This unsettling revelation left Tong and his friends deeply troubled. While it’s not uncommon for drivers to make personal calls during a ride, it’s highly irregular for a driver to divulge every move and offer personal information about passengers to an unknown individual.
A Discreet Reality Check
Growing increasingly wary, the group decided to discreetly verify their location and route using Google Maps and Waze.
Their findings were deeply unsettling. The driver had deviated from the expected route, displaying a longer 50-minute journey instead of the anticipated 30 minutes.
In an attempt to assess the situation further, Tong and his friends requested a quick restroom break. However, the driver refused, citing potential fines from the police if he stopped by the roadside.
Instead, he promised to pull over at the nearest gas station. But to their alarm, they discovered that there was no gas station along the route.
The Daring Escape
With their suspicions reaching a boiling point, Tong and his friends took a daring step. While the car was still in motion on the main road, they decided to exit the vehicle. Thankfully, their luggage was located at the rear of the four-wheel drive, making it relatively easy to retrieve.
Tong noted that although the driver appeared surprised by their actions, he made no attempt to chase them for the ride fare. This unexpected behavior only deepened their sense of foreboding.
Tong added that he is not trying to scare people from visiting Thailand, but is instead reminding people to be alert and mindful when travelling.