Colonel Dinh Xuan Nghi, head of Hoi An Town's Police Department, said on January 29 that they were investigating a case where an Australian tourist was beaten up by a group of motorbike taxi drivers.

The Australian tourist is beaten up by motorbike taxi drivers in Hoi An Town on January 25

The tourist's mother wrote a letter to Hoi An Town Party Secretary Nguyen Su to report about the case.

According to the letter, the Australian tourist was walking along Nguyen Phuc Chu Street at midnight on January 25 when a group of 15 motorbike taxi drivers offered him their services. After paying VND50,000 (USD2.20) for the trip, the men suddenly attacked and robbed him. They also tried to rob a group of French tourists at the same time.

After the incident, the Australian tourist and his friends walked to a bar on Nguyen Phuc Chu Street but they were attacked by several men. One of the men threw something at his head which left him with 11 stitches.

His mother was upset, saying that such case should not have happened in Hoi An.

Hoi An Vice Chairman Nguyen Van Son said they had questioned the drivers and one of them admitted to having attacked him. However, the driver said the tourist didn't pay them enough for the ride, and that the victim and his friends snatched the money away from him first so he reacted to take back the money.

"The police are searching for other witnesses. The police also received the victim's medical records for the case," Son said.

According to Son, the victim and his mother left Hoi An two days ago so they are trying to take statements via the mail address of his mother.

Dtinews