Police arrested a British motorcyclist for a hit-and-run incident on Koh Pha Ngan on Saturday, May 23, that left a Thai doctor in a coma.
Colleagues of the injured doctor, Theerasuk “Ton” Kawamatawong, contacted several media outlets seeking justice after the crash, which occurred at about 8.40pm on a road behind the Koh Pha Ngan District Office.
CCTV footage shared online showed Ton walking along the left side of the road before being struck from behind by a motorcycle.
The footage indicated the road was poorly lit, with illumination coming mainly from a nearby residence. Streetlights in the area appeared not to be operating at the time.
According to reports, the rider was a foreign national who left the scene immediately after the collision. Witnesses and passing motorists later assisted the injured doctor and transported him to hospital.
Thai media outlets reported that Ton remains in a coma at Bangkok Hospital Samui after suffering severe injuries, including bleeding in the brainstem and significant brain swelling despite undergoing surgery.
The case attracted widespread attention on social media before Koh Pha Ngan Police Station officers arrested the foreign suspect, later identified as a British man named Wilcock Duncan yesterday, May 24.
Duncan was arrested while on a tour boat off the coast of the island. He was also tested positive for cocaine and was found riding a motorcycle without a licence.
According to the report on MGR Online, Duncan was found operating a business on Koh Pha Ngan, and officers are now investigating into the legality of his business. The legal charges would be concluded after the investigation ends.
According to Ton’s colleagues, the doctor regularly travelled to Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan to carry out volunteer medical work. He used his free time to assist local communities while also enjoying the island’s natural surroundings and lifestyle.
In another recent case involving a foreign motorcyclist, a Thai teenager was seriously injured in Phuket on May 10 after a foreign rider changed lanes suddenly and collided with the teenager’s motorcycle.
The rider reportedly fled the scene and was later seen on CCTV running a red light while escaping. Thai media have not reported any arrest in that case.
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