Singaporean driver charged after hitting traffic police in Phuket
A Singaporean driver is facing charges after crashing a pickup truck into plastic traffic barriers at a roundabout in Phuket yesterday, March 18, causing the barriers to strike a traffic police officer before leaving the scene.
A video of the incident, shared on Thai social media, showed a white Ford Ranger driving into the barriers, which then knocked into the officer standing nearby. The officer fell but was able to get back up. The driver did not stop and drove away.
Police said the crash happened at about 7.30am at the Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Si Sunthon Monument Roundabout on Thep Krasattri Road.
The officer was identified as 52 year old Police Senior Sergeant Major Chalermchai Sothong of Thalang Police Station. He reportedly suffered minor injuries. Police also reported that eight traffic barriers were damaged.
Investigators traced the vehicle owner to a Thai woman, Pornphit Jitpraphat, and identified the driver as her Singaporean son-in-law, 44 year old Tey Wee Keong Jonathan.
Jonathan later surrendered at the police station after officers contacted Pornphit about the Phuket traffic police crash. He told police he was driving from Katu sub-district to the family home in Sakhu sub-district and said he did not realise there was an accident, learning about it only from his mother-in-law.
Police charged him with reckless driving, causing injury and failing to stop to provide assistance. Under Section 78 of the Land Transport Act, the penalties include up to three months’ imprisonment, a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 baht, or both.
Jonathan was then taken to Bangkok Hospital Phuket for a medical examination to check for alcohol or other intoxicants in his system. Police said further punishment would be imposed if intoxicants were found.
In a similar incident reported in Bangkok last July, a six-wheel truck ran a red light and fatally struck a traffic police officer on a motorcycle in the Phattanakan area. However, the driver denied ignoring the traffic light, claiming that it had turned green by the time he moved forward.
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