Irishman detained after road rampage in Phuket
Police arrested an Irishman after a Phuket road rampage that was recorded on video and shared widely on Thai social media on Saturday, March 14.
Footage circulating online showed the foreign man in a blue T-shirt and underwear walking barefoot on Choeng Talay-Ban Don Road in Thalang district, Phuket. In the clip, the man approached a yellow-and-red taxi and jumped onto the bonnet before lying down on the vehicle, prompting the taxi driver to stop the vehicle.
Channel 7 later shared another video showing the foreign man walking up to moving cars and attempting to open their doors.
Officers from Choeng Talay Police Station were called to the scene. Upon arrival, police found the foreign man sitting outside an entertainment venue with scratches on his body. Police identified him as a 25 year old Irish national, but his name was not revealed to the public.
Officers provided first aid and attempted to calm him down to question him. They said the man was heavily intoxicated and transferred him to the police station for interrogation at a later time.
The taxi driver, whose name was not released, told local news agencies he was driving two foreign passengers to an airport when the incident happened. He said he stopped the car for about five minutes and told his passengers not to open the doors or get out for safety.
The driver said he reported the incident to the police and waited until the man got off the vehicle. He then checked his taxi and found no damage, and said the Irishman did not appear to have serious injuries, before continuing the trip to the airport.
Police did not disclose what legal penalties the man may face. Officers said they planned to notify an embassy as part of further deportation procedures.
Police also urged any motorists whose vehicles were damaged during the incident to file a complaint at Choeng Talay Police Station.
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