A British man has been arrested after a crashing a motorcycle into a senior doctor from a Bangkok Hospital, who volunteers to help regularly on Koh Phangan, at 20:30 on 23 May, leaving the victim seriously injured. Police on the island later found the suspect hiding on a tourist boat and a drug test reportedly detected cocaine.

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The incident involved Assistant Professor Dr Teerasak Kaewamtuang, 53, a respiratory and critical care specialist and former lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. He is currently a doctor at a Bangkok Hospital.

According to police, Dr Teerasak was struck by a motorcycle outside a furniture shop on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province. The rider fled the scene immediately after the collision, prompting an investigation by officers from Koh Phangan Police Station.

On May 24, investigators led by Pol Col Apichat Jansamret tracked the suspect through CCTV footage and arrested British national Duncan Wilcock while he was hiding aboard a tour boat. Police said the suspect later confessed to causing the crash.

After being taken into custody, the suspect underwent a drug test which showed the presence of cocaine, in his system. Police subsequently charged him with reckless driving causing serious injury, fleeing the scene of an accident, driving without a licence and drug use.

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

Investigators are also examining a submarine tour boat business linked to the suspect to determine whether it may involve illegal nominee arrangements. Authorities said further legal action would follow based on the outcome of the investigation.

The Daily News reported the case has drawn attention because of the victim’s prominent medical background and the seriousness of his injuries. Police have not released further update details on Dr Teerasak’s condition.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 25 May 2026

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Rather than blame "Brits" which comes in the comments, prosecute all the scummy ones causing trouble, sadly you have those in all nationalities

6 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Rather than blame "Brits" which comes in the comments, prosecute all the scummy ones causing trouble, sadly you have those in all nationalities

True, but when it comes to the scummy league here in Thailand, you have to admit that Fair Albion is over represented.

driving a motorbike recklessly on cocaine. what a scumbag.

25 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

True, but when it comes to the scummy league here in Thailand, you have to admit that Fair Albion is over represented.

Lately yes, but the scummy shirtless types are coming to Thailand rather than Ibiza, magaluf etc

Another junkie foreigner causing harm and destruction...when will this madness end. Drug tests and police clearance reports should be demanded for anyone coming here

Silly man. this crash will bankcrupt him together with the serious charges means goodbye to his business and banned from Thailand and the tropical island he called home.

A speedy recovery to his victim.

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

A British man has been arrested after a crashing a motorcycle into a senior doctor from a Bangkok Hospital, who volunteers to help regularly on Koh Phangan, at 20:30 on 23 May, leaving the victim seriously injured. Police on the island later found the suspect hiding on a tourist boat and a drug test reportedly detected cocaine.

Get today's headlines by email

The incident involved Assistant Professor Dr Teerasak Kaewamtuang, 53, a respiratory and critical care specialist and former lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. He is currently a doctor at a Bangkok Hospital.

According to police, Dr Teerasak was struck by a motorcycle outside a furniture shop on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province. The rider fled the scene immediately after the collision, prompting an investigation by officers from Koh Phangan Police Station.

On May 24, investigators led by Pol Col Apichat Jansamret tracked the suspect through CCTV footage and arrested British national Duncan Wilcock while he was hiding aboard a tour boat. Police said the suspect later confessed to causing the crash.

After being taken into custody, the suspect underwent a drug test which showed the presence of cocaine, in his system. Police subsequently charged him with reckless driving causing serious injury, fleeing the scene of an accident, driving without a licence and drug use.

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

Investigators are also examining a submarine tour boat business linked to the suspect to determine whether it may involve illegal nominee arrangements. Authorities said further legal action would follow based on the outcome of the investigation.

The Daily News reported the case has drawn attention because of the victim’s prominent medical background and the seriousness of his injuries. Police have not released further update details on Dr Teerasak’s condition.

Join the discussion?

Already a member?

Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 25 May 2026

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Oh dear, EVERY day at least ONE Brit from the riffraff brigade here.

The visa regulations have to be stricter for the Islanders I reckon

You should never walk in the direction of traffic in the dark, but always against the traffic. This means you can keep an eye on oncoming vehicles and avoid them if necessary.

This way the accident with the drugged idiot could have been avoided.

I'm not making excuses for the motorcyclist. I told my son, who likes to jog on the local roads in the dark evenings, to wear white kit. And to jog against the traffic flow so that he can see any vehicle that could hit him. Looking at the video, it would seem the Doctor was doing all the opposites on a badly lit road. I wish him a speedy recovery.

In some ways the police and authorities are to blame for the many road accidents here. Their lackadaisical attitude to enforcing traffic laws only leads to them being flouted by anyone who wants to take to the roads. I see bad driving and riding everyday but nobody cares.

As for rental companies , they should be prosecuted and heavily fined if they rent any vehicle out to someone who cannot produce a proper valid license. They should also provide compulsary insurance , even if it doesn't come cheap.

But of course , cash and mai pen rai philosophy will always trump law enforcement. Plus there is always ' go fund me ' to fall back on if things go pear shaped.

39 minutes ago, BerndD said:

You should never walk in the direction of traffic in the dark, but always against the traffic. This means you can keep an eye on oncoming vehicles and avoid them if necessary.

This way the accident with the drugged idiot could have been avoided.

This is Thailand where riding the wrong way is normal, so there's no safer side of the street to walk on.

24 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I'm not making excuses for the motorcyclist. I told my son, who likes to jog on the local roads in the dark evenings, to wear white kit. And to jog against the traffic flow so that he can see any vehicle that could hit him. Looking at the video, it would seem the Doctor was doing all the opposites on a badly lit road. I wish him a speedy recovery.

See above, your Tufty Club rules don't apply here.

BTW, the road looks quite brightly lit, and the scooter had his lights on, so there's little excuse for hitting the pedestrian, and absolutely NONE for doing a hit-and-run.

I t doesn’t seem that this guy is really a conventional tourist. By that I mean someone who has come to Thailand on an annual two week holiday from work. In reality it seems he is someone who is manipulating the visa system to hang out in Thailand more or less permanently and involved in running a business illegally.

It seems that pretty much every foreigner gets lumped into the “tourist” category, when in fact they are not conventional tourists and shouldn’t be described as such.

Shortening the tourist visa period to 30 days may help to stop people staying indefinitely on a tourist visa while working illegally.

The problem is that the visa system leaks like a sieve and anyone can stay for long periods by using an agent to pay off immigration. So even if the visa period were 15 days, it just means people would pay a bit more to evade the immigration requirements.

This guy will get the book thrown at him and rightly so. Drug user, illegal working, hit and run, the charges say it all. Probably doesn’t have a moterbike licence and I shouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t wearing a helmet. He’s a poster boy for all the Thai’s who complain about foreigners.

3 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

I t doesn’t seem that this guy is really a conventional tourist. By that I mean someone who has come to Thailand on an annual two week holiday from work. In reality it seems he is someone who is manipulating the visa system to hang out in Thailand more or less permanently and involved in running a business illegally.

It seems that pretty much every foreigner gets lumped into the “tourist” category, when in fact they are not conventional tourists and shouldn’t be described as such.

Shortening the tourist visa period to 30 days may help to stop people staying indefinitely on a tourist visa while working illegally.

The problem is that the visa system leaks like a sieve and anyone can stay for long periods by using an agent to pay off immigration. So even if the visa period were 15 days, it just means people would pay a bit more to evade the immigration requirements.

This guy will get the book thrown at him and rightly so. Drug user, illegal working, hit and run, the charges say it all. Probably doesn’t have a moterbike licence and I shouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t wearing a helmet. He’s a poster boy for all the Thai’s who complain about foreigners.

So where in the OP does it suggest or say he was a tourist?

Excellent point 👏👏👏

I didn’t really express clearly that I was drawing reference to the reduction in the tourist visa time period from 60 days to 30 days and that it would have no impact in reducing this type of incident caused by a foreigner who is in Thailand not on a retirement visa extension, probably not an education visa unless it’s a dodgy one, probably not on a wealth related visa and I suspect not with a work permit.

Enough has been said about this Brit involved in the accident may the full force of the law be taken against him he deserves it

Don´t deport him immediately! Let him rot 10 Years in a Thai Jail first!

4 hours ago, save the frogs said:

driving a motorbike recklessly on cocaine. what a scumbag.

where does it say he was under the influence whilst riding the bike ?

3 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

where does it say he was under the influence whilst riding the bike ?

After being taken into custody, the suspect underwent a drug test which showed the presence of cocaine, in his system.

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

After being taken into custody, the suspect underwent a drug test which showed the presence of cocaine, in his system.

He was arrested the day after the alledged incident.

8 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

After being taken into custody, the suspect underwent a drug test which showed the presence of cocaine, in his system.

....the following day. That doesn't necessarily mean that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident the previous day, does it?

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

....the following day. That doesn't necessarily mean that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident the previous day, does it?

how long does cocaine stay in the system?

but probably no way to prove if he was under the influence while driving.

you guys got me, yet again.

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

I t doesn’t seem that this guy is really a conventional tourist. By that I mean someone who has come to Thailand on an annual two week holiday from work. In reality it seems he is someone who is manipulating the visa system to hang out in Thailand more or less permanently and involved in running a business illegally.

It seems that pretty much every foreigner gets lumped into the “tourist” category, when in fact they are not conventional tourists and shouldn’t be described as such.

Shortening the tourist visa period to 30 days may help to stop people staying indefinitely on a tourist visa while working illegally.

The problem is that the visa system leaks like a sieve and anyone can stay for long periods by using an agent to pay off immigration. So even if the visa period were 15 days, it just means people would pay a bit more to evade the immigration requirements.

This guy will get the book thrown at him and rightly so. Drug user, illegal working, hit and run, the charges say it all. Probably doesn’t have a moterbike licence and I shouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t wearing a helmet. He’s a poster boy for all the Thai’s who complain about foreigners.

Where's it say he was working illegally?

How much do British miscreants cost the Thai taxpayer? The Thai government should set up a gofundme for the burden the British put on their legal and medical systems. Why are so Many Brits other people's problem. Normal people, like this doctor, just living their life until some Brit on booze or drugs plows right through it.

21 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Where's it say he was working illegally?

Here.

“Investigators are also examining a submarine tour boat business linked to the suspect to determine whether it may involve illegal nominee arrangements.”

Split hairs if you want, but I call it working illegally (if proven)

32 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

how long does cocaine stay in the system?

but probably no way to prove if he was under the influence while driving.

you guys got me, yet again.

Let’s let him off that one and stick to driving recklessly and causing injury one day, and drug use the next day.

I wonder if that will reduce his sentence if found guilty.

38 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

....the following day. That doesn't necessarily mean that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident the previous day, does it?

Plenty of other charges to throw at him so I expect they may let that simple extrapolation of facts slide

3 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Here.

“Investigators are also examining a submarine tour boat business linked to the suspect to determine whether it may involve illegal nominee arrangements.”

Split hairs if you want, but I call it working illegally (if proven)

If proven absolutely

Edited May 25May 25 by roo860

5 hours ago, save the frogs said:

driving a motorbike recklessly on cocaine. what a scumbag.

Indeed- and a man dedicated to helping others suffers grievously as a result

I hope the culprit spends a lot of time in a Thai prison

Well educated doctor my ar#e, walking with the traffic flow dressed in black at night, always face the oncoming traffic. Nuff said