Crime

Driver allegedly obstructs and stops ambulance, patient dies

Published

6 months ago

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Caitlin Ashworth

PHOTO: Thairath

A driver may face serious charges after he allegedly cut in front of and stopped an ambulance that was rushing to pick up a patient who later died on the way to a local hospital.

Emergency responders received a call to pick up a patient who was in critical condition and being given CPR at his home in Samut Prakan, a province just southeast of Bangkok. They turned on their siren and emergency lights, hurrying to the scene.

As they rushed to the home, a car cut in front of the ambulance, blocking the lane and causing it to stop. The driver, 38 year old Samrit Maneerit, then allegedly got out of his car and walked over to the ambulance to berate the emergency responders. A nurse video recorded the incident on her smartphone.

Samrit drove off and the ambulance rushed to the patient’s home where 46 year old Pracha Boribun was suffering from a seizure along with trouble breathing. He died on the way to Samut Prakan Hospial.

Police found the driver at his home and say he had a blood alcohol level of 190 milligrams per decilitre of blood. The legal limit is 50. Samrit was charged with driving while intoxicated and obstructing an ambulance. Samrit allegedly told police that the ambulance was following close behind his car and he got angry.

Pracha’s family say they plan to file a criminal complaint against the driver for committing an act intentionally causing death.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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19 Comments

Terry

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 4:57 pm

What an idiot!!

Reply
Fred Johnson

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 5:07 pm

Always complain about someone else, also drunk behind the wheel. What a fucking idiot. Certainly not even a driver’s license!

Reply
Toby Andrews

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 5:18 pm

They do not give way on the road in Thailand, even when sober.
It is due to their inherent selfish attitude.
Unfortunately in this case a person died because of this attitude.

Reply
- Slugger
  
  Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 5:28 pm
  
  No, in this case he was drunk. Nothing to do with an ‘inherent’ anything.
  
  Reply
Toby Andrews

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 5:53 pm

I WROTE, even when not sober, they do not give way.
They are inherently selfish on the road.
This might account for the statistics that there are more deaths on the road, per million than any where in the world apart from Libya.
I doubt your have ever been to Thailand, because if you had you could see this inherent selfish attitude every day on the road.
Two stupid replies to my posts now where you did not understand them.
I judge you are inherently stupid.
You write something that I can rip apart without justification. All you ever write is two lines.

Reply
- Craig
  
  Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6:24 pm
  
  Agreed
  
  Reply
  - Issan John
    
    Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 7:17 pm
    
    Well said, Slugger.
    
    Reply
Toby Andrews

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6:05 pm

By the way this is not the first time Thais have not given way for emergency vehicles.
There has been many cases recorded.

Reply
noway

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6:10 pm

He should be trialed for homicide. And hopefully get executed.

Reply
Ian

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6:18 pm

Is it law to give way Toby in Thailand like in uk I’ve never been in this situation in Thailand so would not know if I was drunk i wouldn’t be at the wheel but many do in the villages as i have witnessed farang and thai

Reply
Ian

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6:20 pm

Or maybe issan John could answer this as he is the whole seeing and knowing one lol

Reply
- Issan John
  
  Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 7:23 pm
  
  A pleasure, Ian 😉
  
  ‘Yes’, it is the law in Thailand just as it is in the UK, for all ‘blue light’ vehicles, and while I’m as critical of Thai driving habits as anyone in my view it’s one of the few traffic regulations they observe, although there are always drunken idiots just as there are anywhere else.
  
  Reply
  - RA
    
    Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 9:05 pm
    
    Although it truly pains me to agree with Issan John, he’s right. Ouch! I’ll do my best not to let it happen again.
    
    Reply
Ian

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 11:48 pm

I do think he’s ok and is knowledgeable sometimes stay safe John

Reply
disgusted `

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 1:41 am

Many Thai people drive just like this guy and a lot of them do not even have a driving license. Drunk driving, blocking emergency vehicles, possibly causing the death of a seriously ill emergency patient.
This moron should not be allowed to get away with it but as in many other cases he may not be charged if he pays money to get off the hook. Not the first time this has happened.
Any other country he would be in jail right now and be charged.
Disgraceful.

Reply
James Pate

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 5:34 am

Throw the book at this a-hole, period. Hopefully, the public prosecutor can figure out a way to hold him responsible for that man’s death.?

Reply
Truth B Told

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 7:10 am

I live one kilometer from a hospital. I see ambulances get ignored all the time. It’s so blatant I dare say they don’t know what to do when one comes up behind them. I think one aspect that exasperates the problem is that any idiot can put red and blue lights on their vehicle just for looks. This makes Thais accustomed to ignoring them and have less respect for the actual emergency vehicles. In America you can get a ticket or vehicle equipment notice to have them removed. And yes in America some people ignore them as well. They are also dumbasses.

Reply
- RA
  
  Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 8:08 am
  
  I have to agree with comment about dumbasses in the US. However there is, unlike Thailand, enforcement with large fines. The laws are in-place here, but with complete lack of enforcement unless money is made like with helmet laws. Train the cops, hold them accountable, pay them well. Make it truly “To Serve and Protect”.
  
  Reply
  - Issan John
    
    Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 2:06 pm
    
    Actually, RA, TBT’s incorrect that “any idiot can put red and blue lights on their vehicle just for looks” as they can’t. The laws are similar here, and only registered vehicles are allowed to put red / blue lights on their vehicles, from regular “blue light” services to the proliferation of “Rescue” vehicles, all of which have to be registered.
    
    Reply

Caitlin Ashworth

Caitlin Ashworth is a writer from the United States who has lived in Thailand since 2018. She graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2016. She was a reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette In Massachusetts. She also interned at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida.

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