An emergency air transfer was launched on 25 May after Associate Professor Dr Theerasak Kaewamtuang, a well-known medical lecturer, suffered critical injuries in a motorcycle crash on Koh Phangan involving a British man later found to have cocaine in his system.

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The crash left Dr Theerasak with severe brain injuries requiring urgent specialist surgery. At around 2.30pm, medical staff from Bangkok Hospital Samui and the doctor’s relatives coordinated with the Police Aviation Division of the Royal Thai Police to arrange an emergency flight to Bangkok.

Doctors said his condition was extremely critical and that he required advanced neurosurgery unavailable locally. He was transferred by ambulance from Bangkok Hospital Samui to Samui Airport before being moved onto a police aircraft standing by on the runway.

A medical team and nurses monitored Dr Theerasak throughout the journey as the aircraft departed for Bangkok. The destination was Ramathibodi Hospital, where the doctor works, with operating theatres, neurosurgeons and advanced medical equipment prepared in advance for his arrival.

The crash happened after British suspect Paul Duncan Wilcock, aged 51 from West Yorkshire,  rode a motorcycle into Dr Theerasak before fleeing the scene. Police later confirmed that a drug test found cocaine in the suspect’s body.

Authorities have charged the British national with reckless driving causing serious injury, hit-and-run driving, driving without a licence and use of a Category 1 narcotic. Police Region 8 Commissioner Lieutenant General Sitthichai Lokanpai instructed Koh Phangan Police Station to pursue the case directly and firmly.

Investigators have also widened the inquiry to examine a tour boat business where the suspect allegedly hid after the crash. Police are checking whether the operation was linked to illegal nominee business practices or supported by influential foreign figures operating on the island.

The case has intensified scrutiny of foreign criminal activity on Koh Phangan, with senior police officers ordering further investigations into possible organised networks. Authorities said the wider crackdown aimed to dismantle foreign mafia-style operations and deliver justice for Dr Theerasak, who is widely recognised for his contributions to Thai society.

Khaosod reported that hospital officials in Bangkok are expected to provide updates on the doctor’s condition following surgery. Meanwhile, police investigations into both the crash and the suspect’s alleged business connections remain ongoing.

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod

Original story

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod 26 May 2026

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Two extremes of the Thai social spectrum here.

At one end you have a distinguish medical professional who has been left in an "extremely critical" condition through the actions of someone at the other end!

Incidents like this inevitably deepen local resentment toward those foreigners who exploit Thailand’s hospitality.

They all have one thing in common. TATS

6 hours ago, Celsius said:

They all have one thing in common. TATS

And in many cases nationality.

The government picks up hapless Indians for an overstay using cameras and AI whilst the dregs of foreign societies roam about at will causing inconvenience and in this case irreparable harm to the local populace.

Life is weird. You can do everything right and still get taken out by the lowest common denominator.

I think its excellent that this level of care is being administered - however, had this been a regular noodle seller would the same degree of medical support and care been offered ?

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

British man later found to have cocaine in his system.

It was reported on the Pattaya radio YouTube channel that this guy had a business in Thailand.

Also the video has his face exposed if anyone is interested.

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The case has intensified scrutiny of foreign criminal activity on Koh Phangan,

What about the scrutiny of local criminal activity? Just asking.

also something is missing from the article? How did Mr. Wilcock on a motorcycle hit the doctor who could have been on a sidewalk? Was the doctor crossing the road? et al.

4 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

What about the scrutiny of local criminal activity? Just asking.

also something is missing from the article? How did Mr. Wilcock on a motorcycle hit the doctor who could have been on a sidewalk? Was the doctor crossing the road? et al.

This is the update of yesterday’s article. The link to the original is in the OP, which includes the video of the incident.

He may get an even harsher sentence because he hit a distinguished member of Thai society.

5 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

This is the update of yesterday’s article. The link to the original is in the OP, which includes the video of the incident.

OK cheers. That is why we were told as children always to walk facing the traffic and to always wear something white at night.

7 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

It was reported on the Pattaya radio YouTube channel that this guy had a business in Thailand.

Also the video has his face exposed if anyone is interested.

The police are throwing the book at him - and rightly so. Investigators are reportedly examining every possible angle, whether his company was a nominee company (so he might lose that too), also he was riding illegal - and then the drug use and riding recklessly - he's facing multiple charges.

What they can’t conclusively prove, however, is that he was under the influence while riding. Legally, there’s still the possibility he consumed drugs afterwards, which makes that specific charge harder to lock down beyond doubt with DUI.

But regardless, he’s completely finished. This wasn’t just any victim - it was a doctor. And in Thailand, whenever a doctor becomes the victim of a high-profile incident, the public outrage is magnified to an extraordinary degree compared to what it would be for an ordinary citizen.

We’ve seen it before. There was the ophthalmologist killed on a Bangkok zebra crossing by a speeding police officer, a case that triggered nationwide fury. Then there was the Phuket incident where a Swiss expat kicked a doctor in the back for sitting on beach steps later found to be illegally built on public land. That case exploded into a national scandal, fuelled by public anger over.

So this case is operating in that same atmosphere. The legal system, media and public pressure will be relentless.

There is virtually zero chance he escapes this lightly.

6 hours ago, save the frogs said:

He may get an even harsher sentence because he hit a distinguished member of Thai society.

IMO - thats almost certainly the case - we've seen it before (as discussed above).

8 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

You can do everything right and still ...

was he walking on the correct side if the road.?

nay

35 minutes ago, papa al said:

was he walking on the correct side if the road.?

nay

He could quite literally have been standing there waiting to cross the road - the footage shows there wasn't much space at all on that side. Yet the Brit rides straight into him as though he were effectively blind, almost like someone so smashed out of his head that he was incapable of seeing or reacting to what was directly in front of him.

Of course, most of us are raised with basic road sense - walk facing oncoming traffic where possible, wear lighter or reflective clothing at night, stay alert around vehicles. But none of that changes the fundamental point here: the doctor was still a pedestrian, and he was absolutely mown down.

Even if the doctor had been moving towards the Brit instead of jogging with his back to traffic, giving himself some tiny chance to dive clear at the last second, it would not diminish the Brit’s responsibility whatsoever. The core issue remains exactly the same - reckless riding, without due care or attention, by someone who reportedly was not even licensed to be riding in the first place, and possibly (probably) coked up.

8 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

What about the scrutiny of local criminal activity? Just asking.

also something is missing from the article? How did Mr. Wilcock on a motorcycle hit the doctor who could have been on a sidewalk? Was the doctor crossing the road? et al.

For the sake of clarity, the victim was walking on the unpaved road shoulder, in the direction of traffic. The road is narrow and not well lit. Recommended safe practice when walking on a busy road that does not have sidewalk is to walk facing traffic. The victim had his back to the traffic. The motorcycle was on the unpaved shoulder area when it struck the victim This does create a small measure of responsibility except, there was nowhere for the victim to have gone even if he had seen the motorcycle since the motorcycle was on the unpaved shoulder. 100% responsibility rests with the driver.

As the driver was not tested after the collision, the presence of cocaine has no relevance as he could have taken the drug after the incident.

UPDATE

British Man Remanded Over Koh Phangan Crash

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Brit’s responsibility whatsoever

Sadly it appears that Brits no longer accept responsibility for their own actions. Look at how dismissive they are whenever a young idiot countryman or wench does something criminal. The clown who asked what side of the road the doctor was walking on is no better.

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think its excellent that this level of care is being administered - however, had this been a regular noodle seller would the same degree of medical support and care been offered ?

Does a noodle vendor make the same contribution to society that a surgeon makes? The world we wish we lived in doesn't exist so we're stuck with the one we've got.

8 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

The clown who asked what side of the road the doctor was walking on is no better.

no clowns asked that.

video shows him on wrong side

with dark shirt

On 5/27/2026 at 5:45 AM, flaming dragon said:

Does a noodle vendor make the same contribution to society that a surgeon makes? The world we wish we lived in doesn't exist so we're stuck with the one we've got.

Does it matter?

If someone pulls out a gun and murders another human being, does the victim's profession change the crime?

Would we ask whether the victim was a road sweeper, a noodle seller, a shop assistant, a maid, a teacher, a dentist, or a doctor before deciding how much justice they deserve?

A human life is not a ranking system. The value of a person's life cannot be measured by their income, education, social status, or perceived contribution to society.

The fact that a surgeon may save lives does not mean a cleaner's life is worth less. The fact that a doctor is highly respected does not mean a street vendor deserves less public sympathy, less media attention, less support, or less outrage when they are killed.

You are right that the world we live in is asymmetrical. But that isn't an argument for accepting inequality of compassion or justice. It's an example of how deeply flawed our priorities can be.

The moment we start deciding whose death matters more based on their occupation, we've stopped talking about justice and started talking about social value. Those are not the same thing.

A wrongful death is a wrongful death. The victim's profession should tell us who they were, not how much their life was worth.

On 5/27/2026 at 5:41 AM, flaming dragon said:

Sadly it appears that Brits no longer accept responsibility for their own actions. Look at how dismissive they are whenever a young idiot countryman or wench does something criminal. The clown who asked what side of the road the doctor was walking on is no better.

Rubbish. That's a flawed, sweeping generalisation wrapped in emotion rather than reason.

One idiot committing a crime does not make 70 million people responsible for it any more than one Thai, American, or Australian criminal speaks for their entire nation. If we're going to condemn collective blame in one context, we should be consistent enough to condemn it in all contexts.

As for the person who asked which side of the road the doctor was walking on, that's not necessarily victim-blaming either. Context and causation matter.

The doctor was clearly the victim. The rider bears responsibility for his own actions. Those two facts can be true while still asking whether there were factors that might have affected the outcome.

Most of us teach our children to walk facing oncoming traffic whenever possible. Not because drivers are blameless, but because self-preservation matters. You face danger so you can see it coming and react to it. That's common sense, not an assignment of blame.

If a drunk driver mounts a pavement and kills someone, the driver is responsible. But it is still reasonable to ask whether the victim saw the vehicle, whether they had a chance to move, or whether the tragedy could have been avoided in the final seconds. That's analysing an event, not excusing it.

The real problem today is that too many people seem incapable of distinguishing between understanding what happened and defending what happened. The moment someone asks a factual question, the mob rushes to accuse them of victim-blaming.

Critical thinking isn't the same thing as taking sides.

I always try and walk on curbed sidewalks. And avoid walking where the road is at the same level. You never know when a chav will come out of nowhere and run you over

On 6/9/2026 at 10:40 AM, richard_smith237 said:

Rubbish. That's a flawed, sweeping generalisation wrapped in emotion rather than reason.

Nay my brother, it's pattern recognition. I'm not the only one recognising this pattern as is evidenced by many comments on this board and others.