Patong tuk-tuk driver charged after British tourist dies in Phuket fall

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

Police said the victim, identified as Colin Cairney, was found seriously injured in Patong, Kathu district, in the early hours of June 14 after falling from a tuk-tuk. He was taken to hospital in a coma and later died.

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 that he had been driving the tuk-tuk involved.

The driver, identified as Kitipong, allegedly admitted that on the day 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 The Nature hotel at Kalim Beach.

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 told the tourist he would take him back to the area where he had been picked up, on Bangla Road. While driving past the hotel at normal speed, he felt that something was wrong with the vehicle. About 2 kilometres beyond the scene, he realized there was no passenger in the vehicle, but did not report the incident to police or anyone else, investigators said.

He later learned that the passenger had fallen from the tuk-tuk and suffered critical injuries, 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.

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.