Berserk foreigner in Phuket escapes hospital, assaults a man, steals a passenger van, and crashes it. Massive traffic delays ensue. Severely injured, he was cut from the wreckage. MP Chalermpong Saengdee reveals his prior arrest for assault and hospital escape.
A foreigner caused traffic delays and absolute pandemonium on Patong Hill in Phuket on Saturday night. The as-yet-unidentified white tourist escaped from a hospital, robbed a passenger van off the street, and promptly drove it into another. The young man had to be cut out of the wreckage and is reportedly severely injured. Meanwhile, Move Forward MP for Phuket Mr Chalermpong Saengdee revealed that the man had earlier been arrested for assault. He had been brought by police to the hospital before making his escape.
A young short-haired Caucasian foreigner went berserk on Saturday night in Phuket. The shirtless man was initially seen sitting on the roadside on Patong Hill in the Kathu district of the holiday island.
Unknown to bystanders, he had previously escaped from a nearby hospital. He had been lodged there by Phuket police after he was earlier involved in an altercation with a Burmese migrant worker.
Foreigner steals a parked van, causing passengers to flee, leading to crash and pandemonium on Patong Hill
Video from the scene shows the young man looking from side to side. At length, a parked white passenger cab was seen with warning lights flashing. The owner had gone to a roadside stall to buy durian. At length, there were two passengers in the cab.
Thereafter, the foreigner walked in a stumbling manner towards the van. In short, the two passengers fled the vehicle in distress. He entered through the passenger front door. However, the vehicle was then seen entering traffic to the right and heading off.
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After that, it was not long before it was involved in a crash with a black Hyundai van. Both vehicles were severely damaged in what appeared to have been a serious smash.
Following this, emergency services including the Phuket Kusontham Foundation arrived at the scene. Police were forced to close off the area causing massive traffic disruption and traffic jams.
Emergency services use metal cutters to extract the foreigner from the crashed van. He was severely injured
Finally, metal cutters had to be used to extract the young foreigner. In brief, it is reported he was severely injured in the crash.
Police Lieutenant Phongsaphiphat Khamchumphu briefed reporters after the incident. He confirmed that the crash occurred approximately 100 metres from the Tiger God Shrine on Phra Barami Road. This is on Patong Hill in Kathu, Phuket.
Two people were injured in the crash including a foreigner who was extracted from the white van registration number NK 9963 Songkhla. The other injured party was Mr Sompong Rueangchan, the driver of the black Hyundai van registered in Phuket. Mr Sompong received an injury to his leg.
At length, reporters also spoke to Mr. Thiwa Santichatsak, the owner of the white van. He said he parked his vehicle near a PTT station to buy durian fruit on the sidewalk. He left the engine on the van running with two passengers inside.
Van owner describes pursuit of the foreigner who stole the vehicle, leading to a crash with a Black Hyundai
The van was on its way up Patong Hill. In short, he quickly saw his van moving away and pursued it. He understood that it was stolen by a foreign man. When he arrived on the scene, his van had already collided with the black Hyundai van further up the hill.
Reports suggest that Phuket police are coordinating with the foreigner’s embassy in relation to the incident. Afterwards, they will question the culprit.
Move Forward MP for Phuket District 2 Chalermpong Saengdee spoke to reporters about what had happened.
He confirmed that previously the same foreigner had attacked and punched a Burmese worker. Consequently, he was arrested by police but taken first to the hospital. Certainly, it appears that the foreigner escaped from the hospital and police custody before embarking on his foray into chaos.
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