The wife and relatives of Mr Theeramit Thapthong, 42, have sought justice after he was allegedly handcuffed and taken to a police station instead of hospital while suffering a severe stroke. The incident occurred on 1 March 2025 at the front of a PT petrol station in Bang Pahan district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Doctors later said he had arrived too late, with a ruptured brain blood vessel and he remains unconscious in hospital, with relatives told to prepare for the worst.
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According to the family, Mr Theeramit, who works transporting fruit and vegetables to traders at Talaad Thai in Pathum Thani, was driving to collect mangoes in Phichit province when he began feeling unwell. He stopped on the hard shoulder outside the PT station in Bang Pahan for about 10 minutes, believing his condition was not serious, and phoned the owner of the pickup truck to collect the goods. At 03:29, his green pickup slowly entered the petrol station and stopped in front of a convenience store, colliding with one parked motorcycle.
Mr Theeramit exited the vehicle and lay on the ground seeking help, but bystanders reportedly assumed he was intoxicated and called police. Officers arrived at approximately 03:51 and, according to video recorded by a member of the public, Mr Theeramit made an SOS hand signal, an international distress signal used when a person cannot speak. Police were said to have taken photographs and walked away without assisting him.
At about 04:27, officers placed Mr Theeramit in handcuffs and put him in the back of a patrol pickup before taking him to Bang Pahan Police Station. Upon arrival, an investigating officer reportedly noticed irregularities and ordered that he be transferred to Bang Pahan Hospital at around 05:00. By the time he reached hospital, he had lost consciousness and doctors informed relatives that the delay had resulted in a ruptured brain blood vessel.
Pictures courtesy of InsideThailand
His wife, Ms Chalinrat Aksornsat, 39, said she was deeply distressed after viewing the video clip and questioned why officers did not assess his condition or recognise the SOS signal. She said that if he had been taken to hospital sooner, his condition might not be as severe.
Mr Ekaphop Lueangprasert, founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod page, confirmed he had coordinated a meeting with the Commander of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Police to follow up the case. He said the incident was an emergency no one wanted, but officers should have basic knowledge of hand signals and initial checks to distinguish intoxication from medical illness.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now InsideThailand 5 Mar 2026
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