PHUKET – Police say a drunk driver hit several vehicles and pedestrians in Phuket on Saturday, killing a French tourist. At least nine vehicles were damaged before the car finally smashed into a streetlight.
The crash happened around midday in Muang district. Police said a Volvo sedan, driven by a 51-year-old Thai man, first clipped several cars and motorbikes. The driver then sped off and later struck two more motorbikes, as well as two people walking along the roadside.
One of the pedestrians, French tourist Loic Vincent Fontaine, was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital with serious injuries. Police said he later died.
Officers named the driver as 51-year-old Jattapol Koetphon. They said he was over the legal alcohol limit and tried to leave the area, but his vehicle crashed into a light pole and could not continue. Emergency teams and traffic police arrived to help the injured and manage the scene.
Police said Jattapol faces charges including drunk driving causing death, property damage, and leaving the scene without taking responsibility.
Tourist Fined for Public Indecency in Phuket
In a separate case, a Saudi Arabian tourist has been fined and is expected to be deported after an alleged public indecency incident in Patong, Phuket.
The man, identified only as Alharbbi, appeared in a video recorded on Soi Paradise in Kathu district. Police said the footage showed him behaving inappropriately with another foreign man. The incident was reported to have taken place at about 5 am on 4 January.
Witnesses tried to step in, but the pair stayed in the area. The clip later spread on social media, prompting concern about how it could affect Thailand’s tourism image. Senior officials from the Tourist Police Bureau ordered a fast investigation.
Police Colonel Narapon Wattanakorntawee led the enquiry, working with Patong Police Station and Tourist Police officers. The team later identified and tracked down the man shown in the video.
At around 2 am on 6 January, officers detained Alharbbi. Police said he admitted the offence and was fined 5,000 baht under Section 388 of the Criminal Code for committing an indecent act in public.
Alharbbi entered Thailand on 27 December on a tourist visa valid until 24 February. Immigration officials later said his behaviour broke public standards and harmed the country’s tourism reputation.
His visa was cancelled under Section 36 of the Immigration Act (1979), and he was moved to the Phuket Immigration Detention Centre to await deportation. Authorities have not released further details about the second person involved.
