Phuket Mob Surrounds British Expat Who Hit Motorcyclist

[webfact]

Phuket mob surrounds British expat who hit motorcyclist
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A well-known British expat involved in a collision with a motorbike on Friday night had to be extricated from the scene by police after local residents reacted angrily over the incident, the Phuket Gazette has been told.

Police were called to Soi Ngern Fun, which leads into Baan Term Fun housing estate in Baan Manik, Srisoonthorn (map here), at 11:30pm.

“We found Mr Worrachet Ngamthip, 16 years old, at the entrance to the soi. His left leg was broken,” said Thalang Police Sub Lt Niphon Temsang.

Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers rushed Mr Worrachet to Mission Hospital Phuket.

“About 30 meters down the soi, we found Mr Martin Ian Potter, 48 years old, from England. He was standing and swearing in Thai and English,” Sub Lt Niphon explained.

Not far from Mr Potter, we found his white Toyota car and a Honda Wave motorcycle still stuck under the front of the car. There were marks on the road showing the motorcycle was dragged into the street after being hit,” he added.

Witnesses reported to police that Mr Potter was driving at speed when he entered the street.

“They said it seemed like Mr Potter was trying to flee the scene, that was why he tried driving away with the motorcycle still stuck under the front of his car,” Sub Lt Niphon said.

“They were angry at Mr Potter and some of them even tried to hit him, so we had to take Mr Potter to Cherng Talay Police Station in order to continue questioning him over the incident,” he added.

During questioning, Mr Potter spoke confusingly, police said.

“We could smell alcohol on him,” Sub Lt Niphon alleged.

Mr Potter was charged with drunk driving and reckless driving causing damage to a person and property.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-mob-surrounds-British-expat-who-hit-motorcyclist-20388.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-04

[PREM-R]

Moral of this story, if you want to drive after having been drinking, and get away with having an "accident" then you better be driving a Ferrari.

[emanphoto]

"Witnesses reported to police that Mr Potter was driving at speed when he entered the street."

And what speed would that be?

[Semper]

They said it seemed like Mr Potter was trying to flee the scene, that was why he tried driving away with the motorcycle still stuck under the front of his car

Didn't he know that he must have a Ferrari for doing that?

[yummypizza]

Every one has the choice to drink and drive, but if you have an accident, or hurt some one, you are rightfully in the shit!!

[stevenl]

A well-known British expat

Let's have a poll, who knows Martin Potter?

I don't.

[steelepulse]

Martin Potter was a world champion surfer, and the expat in this story goes by Ian. I met Ian a number of years ago and he has a lighting business here.

Edited March 4, 2013 by steelepulse

[stevenl]

Martin Potter was a world champion surfer, and the expat in this story goes by Ian. I met Ian a number of years ago and he has a lighting business here.

Thanks, so the poll should be:

Who knows Ian Potter?

I don't.

[beano2274]

The lights were certainly not on when he decided to drink and drive.

[taninthai]

Dont know why people keep mentioning the ferrari he didnt get away with it as people keep saying,it was just simply dealt with the thai way which involves paying compensation,im sure this ferang will have the same options available to him.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App

[canman]

A well-known British expat

Let's have a poll, who knows Martin Potter?

I don't.

Harry's brother

[janderton]

if i remember well, 16yo can obtain a driving licence fit to drive only motorcycles under 110cc.
that honda is how much? i can spot a front disc brake wider that the standard, plus tires apparently too tight for rims...
drunk driving or not, if i were the brit i'd hire a laywer, and if there are enough circumstances, i'd sue the boy's family

Edited March 4, 2013 by janderton

[Sydneycraig]

if i remember well, 16yo can obtain a driving licence fit to drive only motorcycles under 110cc.

that honda is how much? i can spot a front disc brake wider that the standard, plus tires apparently too tight for rims...

drunk driving or not, if i were the brit i'd hire a laywer, and if there are enough circumstances, i'd sue the boy's family

or, if indeed he was drink driving and caused an accident, he takes responsibility for his stupidity and fairly compensates the injured rider...

[stevenl]

if i remember well, 16yo can obtain a driving licence fit to drive only motorcycles under 110cc.

that honda is how much? i can spot a front disc brake wider that the standard, plus tires apparently too tight for rims...

drunk driving or not, if i were the brit i'd hire a laywer, and if there are enough circumstances, i'd sue the boy's family

Won't help. Maybe they'll give the boy a citation, but the facts seem clear: he was driving drunk.

[FritsSikkink]

A well-known British expat

Let's have a poll, who knows Martin Potter?

I don't.

if i remember well, 16yo can obtain a driving licence fit to drive only motorcycles under 110cc.

that honda is how much? i can spot a front disc brake wider that the standard, plus tires apparently too tight for rims...

drunk driving or not, if i were the brit i'd hire a laywer, and if there are enough circumstances, i'd sue the boy's family

No way you win that while driving drunk.

[Marlow999]

Dont know why people keep mentioning the ferrari he didnt get away with it as people keep saying,it was just simply dealt with the thai way which involves paying compensation,im sure this ferang will have the same options available to him.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App

One of the more sensilble comments on this forum.

[theoldgit]

Thanks, so the poll should be:

Who knows Ian Potter?

I don't.

I do and I hope that if he is convicted it's on more compelling evidence than the police officer could smell alcohol on his breath.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Marlow999]

if i remember well, 16yo can obtain a driving licence fit to drive only motorcycles under 110cc.

that honda is how much? i can spot a front disc brake wider that the standard, plus tires apparently too tight for rims...

drunk driving or not, if i were the brit i'd hire a laywer, and if there are enough circumstances, i'd sue the boy's family

You've got very good eyes... how "wide" are standard discs and tyres on that bike? Do bigger brakes and non-standard tyres increase an engine size?

[NamKangMan]

He should have caught a taxi home - oh, I forgot, there are none on Phuket. :)

[retell]

Martin Potter was a world champion surfer, and the expat in this story goes by Ian. I met Ian a number of years ago and he has a lighting business here.

Thanks, so the poll should be:

Who knows Ian Potter?

I don't.

I do and I hope that if he is convicted it's on more compelling evidence than the police officer could smell alcohol on his breath.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

i always thought alcohol was a odourless colourless liquid

he could have been drinking nonalcoholic beverages (hahahaha) yep right

[stevenl]

Thanks, so the poll should be:

Who knows Ian Potter?

I don't.

I do and I hope that if he is convicted it's on more compelling evidence than the police officer could smell alcohol on his breath.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Agree with you, but I think the procedure is that there is a blood test done after suspect alcohol use.

BTW, this quote is not what I said, should be corrected.

[lemoncake]

We could smell alcohol so we charged him with drink driving???

Middle they consider doing the tests first?

[Locationthailand]

Nowhere does it have the kids side of this. The 30m skid mark - was it under brakes or after Potter drove forward after the hit? As per the OP, yes the kid owns a bike with super skinny tyres - a death sentence on a wet road - as push bike riders. But riding rough shod over Thai's is usually not a sensible idea. The number of Temporary Thai's I have caught under my front bumper as they cut in front of me is over two hands fingers and luckily the 4WD has decent brakes (or maybe my reaction time) but they continually ignore vehicles larger vehicles thinking they have 'right-of-way' under this stupid big vehicle rule - big vehicles is always deemed at fault. At any rate, let the truth come out and let Potter give his side of the story alongside the kid and see which is the most plausible.

[hansgruber]

This is why you always run away and fix it later. We covered this days ago.

Angry locals all want a piece of the action.

[stevenl]

This is why you always run away and fix it later. We covered this days ago.

Angry locals all want a piece of the action.

According to the OP this happened because he was trying to run away. While in general I'm with you on these kind of things, this time it may be the other way round.

[Valentine]

The man in the photo does not look like the lighting specialist.

[lemoncake]

Perhaps a silly question, but was the 16 year old victim licensed? and if he was not, was he also fined for driving without a license?

[LivinginKata]

Perhaps a silly question, but was the 16 year old victim licensed? and if he was not, was he also fined for driving without a license?

What's that got to do with the incident - no driving license, no helmet, under the influence. I'm talking about the Thai 'victim' here. If it's proven that the farang was drunk then that will be the crux of an accident investigation/legal proceedings.

[MissChris]

Perhaps a silly question, but was the 16 year old victim licensed? and if he was not, was he also fined for driving without a license?

So we have a 16yo here who is in hospital with a broken leg. He's probably still very shocked by what happened. Wondering whether he was going to come back as a butterfly or a jingjok, no doubt, while he or his motorcycle was being dragged down the road.

Who cares whether he had skinny tires, big disc brakes, oversized motor? He's the victim here.

I hope he makes a good recovery without ongoing physical or psychological problems.

[lemoncake]

Perhaps a silly question, but was the 16 year old victim licensed? and if he was not, was he also fined for driving without a license?

What's that got to do with the incident - no driving license, no helmet, under the influence. I'm talking about the Thai 'victim' here. If it's proven that the farang was drunk then that will be the crux of an accident investigation/legal proceedings.

NO doubt, however i do not see the relevance who is at fault, when both drivers are breaking the law, so it would be only legal and fair to punish both.

No license, possibly unregistered bike, no helmet-all adds up to a fine for the Thai driver.