Terrified tourists were allegedly held hostage by taxi ‘mafia' ringleader in Thailand.

Four female holidaymakers had just finished enjoying a beach in Phuket and were waiting for their hotel van when they met with the taxi driver on September 2.

Their minivan arrived and were on their way back from Rassada Pier when a taxi burst in front of them to block the road and prevent them from leaving.

As a verbal altercation between the van driver and the taxi mafia happened outside, the terrified girls sta cowering inside the vehicle and could not leave ‘like they were being held hostage'.

The van driver said: ‘I was about to take the tourists back to their accommodation but then the taxi driver accused me of stealing his customers.'

The furious taxi driver was convinced that the van driver used a ride-hailing app to steal his customers. While the tourists' driver said the angry man blocking the road was 'running a racket with other drivers' to control passengers around the pier area.

The trautamtised girls were then asked to transfer to another van after local traffic officers became involved.

When the Phuket Land Transport Office discovered this, they summoned both the drivers to investigate and warned that violation of transportation laws might result in penalties or a suspended license.

They found out that the man that blocked the van was a local taxi driver and he was angry that the online application was taking customers.

Adcha Buacha, a spokesman from the Phuket Land Transport Office said: ‘We will work with police and regulators to determine whether the incident violated the law and charge accordingly, as well as make a proper announcement about using transportation booking apps so that all parties can work together and coexist.'