Patong police charge tuk-tuk driver after British boxer dies in Phuket fall

Patong police have charged a tuk-tuk driver after a 29-year-old British tourist and professional boxer fell from the vehicle on Phra Barami Road in Phuket and later died.

Police said the victim, identified as Colin Cairney of Stirling, Scotland, was found seriously injured in Patong, Kathu district, in the early hours of June 14 after falling from a tuk-tuk at about 4am. He sustained severe head injuries and was taken first to Patong Hospital before being transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he later died.

Cairney had an undefeated professional boxing record of 10 wins from 10 fights and won the WBO International Welterweight title in Hong Kong last year.

According to Pol. Lt. Col. Surachart Thongyai, an investigator at Patong Police Station, officers summoned a 34-year-old driver from Phatthalung province for questioning on June 15 after gathering evidence, including witness statements and CCTV footage, that he had been driving the tuk-tuk involved.

The driver, identified as Kittipong, allegedly admitted that on the night of the incident he picked up two foreign tourists, a man and a woman, from the Bangla Road entertainment area. They had hired him to take them to a hotel in the Kalim Beach area.

Police said the driver told investigators that when they arrived at the hotel, the tourists had no cash and asked him to take them to withdraw money from ATMs. He said he then drove the male tourist, who was intoxicated, to three nearby ATMs, but the tourist was unable to withdraw any money.

The driver said he then decided to take the passengers back to the Bangla Road area. While driving past the hotel again on Phra Barami Road at normal speed, he felt that something was wrong with the vehicle but did not stop to check. About 2 kilometres beyond the scene, he realized the male passenger was no longer in the vehicle, but did not report the incident to police or anyone else, investigators said.

Police said CCTV footage showed Cairney falling from the rear of the moving tuk-tuk on Phra Barami Road. Investigators had previously said the vehicle failed to turn into the hotel where the passengers intended to stop and instead continued past the entrance. Earlier CCTV analysis found no evidence of an assault, with investigators concluding that Cairney's injuries were consistent with a fall from the moving vehicle.

He later learned that the passenger had fallen from the tuk-tuk and suffered critical injuries before dying, police said. The driver also told investigators that the tuk-tuk belonged to his older brother and that he had rented it to operate passenger services. Pol. Lt. Col. Surachart said the driver holds a commercial driver's licence allowing him to legally operate a public transport vehicle in Phuket.

Police have filed two charges against him: causing death by negligence and failing to stop to provide assistance and immediately notify authorities after an accident. Investigators said the suspect confessed during questioning.

Police added that compensation talks were under way between the suspect and the deceased man's uncle, who lives in Phuket. The investigation is continuing as police prepare to forward the case for prosecution.