Police officer unstable after crashing into Heroines’ Monument barrier

PHUKET: A police officer was seriously injured late last night when he crashed his car into one of the steel pillars around the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang.

Thalang Police received a report of the crash just before midnight and arrived at the scene to find the driver, Pol Lance Corporal Thanakorn Jimjuan of Phuket City Police, lying on the sidewalk. A Toyota Vios was parked nearby, with its front end severely damaged.

“We know that the car’s airbag was deployed, but that didn’t stop him from getting a 2-inch deep cut on his head,” said Col Sanit Nukong. “Witnesses told us that people nearby helped him out of the car and notified the authorities.”

“Rescue workers at the scene administered first-aid on the Corporal and took him to the emergency unit at Thalang Hospital. He was later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital where he now lies in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in critical condition.”

L/C Thanakorn’s relatives told police that he might have been driving from his home province, Songkhla, which is located about a six-hour drive from Phuket, and that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel due to exhaustion.

Col Sanit told the Phuket Gazette that there was no sign that the driver had been intoxicated.

— Winai Sarot