Emirati tourists arrested after fleeing traffic checkpoint, injuring Thai policeman

PHUKET,— Police arrested two tourists from the United Arab Emirates on Thursday after they allegedly ran from a traffic checkpoint in Kathu district on Phuket island and knocked down an officer chasing them on his motorcycle, causing him to crash, Kathu police said Friday.

The Bangkok Post and The Phuket News reported that the chase began around 1 p.m. Thursday, when officers were running a traffic checkpoint near the Si Kor intersection on Phrabarami Road.

Police said Pol. Sgt. Maj. Sivayos Yodrabum saw a black Honda motorcycle carrying two foreign men coming from Patong Hill toward the intersection.

He signaled the driver to stop so he could check his license.

Instead, the driver sped through the checkpoint. The officer followed the motorcycle onto Phra Phuket Kaew Road and again ordered the men to stop as they neared Kathu Municipality.

Police said the passenger kicked the officer’s motorcycle with his left foot, throwing it off balance while the two men kept riding away.

Officers later spotted the pair near a duty-free shop on Phra Phuket Kaew Road, but they would not stop.

The driver then rode against oncoming traffic and turned onto a road leading into The Valley housing estate.

During the pursuit, police said, the men cut in front of the officer’s motorcycle and caused him to crash. He was hurt, and his uniform, glasses and motorcycle were damaged.

He kept chasing them despite his injuries.

The pursuit ended when the two abandoned their motorcycle at a dead end inside the housing estate and tried to run.

Officers found them walking near the estate’s entrance.

Police identified the men only as Sohail, 21, and Hamad, 20, both UAE nationals.

They were told of the charges against them and read their legal rights before being taken to Kathu police station, police said. No charges have been released yet.

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, located in the Andaman Sea off the country’s southwestern coast.

It sits in southern Thailand and is connected to the mainland by bridges.

Known for its beaches, tourism industry and nightlife, Phuket is one of Thailand’s most popular destinations for foreign visitors and serves as both a province and a city of the same name.

(With files from The Bangkok Post | The Phuket News)

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