CHIANG MAI: A local bus driver has been sacked for assaulting a foreigner who had boarded his bus carrying a bicycle on Saturday.

His employer blamed the incident on a "miscommunication".

RTC Chiang Mai City Bus Co announced the driver's dismissal on its Facebook page on Monday night, after a video clip on social media showed the man attacking a foreign passenger.

The company said the incident happened near Tha Phae gate on Saturday.

"The employee attacked a customer because of a misunderstanding, a miscommunication," the company statement said.

Upon learning of the incident, the management had suspended the driver immediately and called him in for questioning.

It later took to the driver to a police station and he was fined, the announcement said. He was also sacked.

The company contacted the passenger who was attacked and apologised to him. The foreigner agreed the matter was finished.

The video clip was posted on the page of Facebook user Yodsaphon Thikham on Saturday. It showed the driver had stopped the bus in the middle of the road. He was seen punching the passenger, who appeared to be having problems with his bicycle. There was no information on the reason for the assault.