A Koh Samui police officer was charged with damaging four cars during a rampage at a parking area behind Koh Samui Police Station in Surat Thani province on September 24.
The incident occurred at around 8.30pm, but footage of the incident went viral on Thai social media on September 27.
The video showed a car driving onto a grassy parking area towards several parked vehicles before striking them.
One man attempted to stop the moving vehicle by placing a tyre in its path. However, he tripped and fell as the car approached. He managed to roll out of the way and avoid being hit, while people nearby could be heard shouting at him to stay back.
The driver was later identified as a police lieutenant serving as a deputy inspector at Koh Samui Police Station. His name was not disclosed publicly.
According to Channel 7, other police officers intervened and stopped the officer behind the wheel. He was taken to Koh Samui Hospital for a health examination before being transferred to Suan Sarason Hospital, where medical staff reportedly found a history of psychiatric treatment.
Four cars were damaged in the incident. The officer’s vehicle was covered by first-class insurance, and the insurance company was expected to compensate the affected vehicle owners through the relevant procedures.
Koh Samui Police Station superintendent Panya Niratimanon said the officer had been receiving ongoing psychiatric treatment and had reportedly experienced anxiety and panic attacks.
Panya said the officer had been reassigned to document-related duties last year instead of his previous inspection duties in an attempt to reduce work-related stress.
The superintendent also confirmed that the officer’s firearm had been confiscated to protect both the officer and other people. Panya said there had been no previous record of the officer behaving violently.
The officer was charged with damaging other people’s property. Under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, the offence carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both, according to the supplied report.
Further investigation will be conducted into whether the officer remains qualified to continue performing his police duties.
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The story Viral footage shows policeman’s car striking parked vehicles in Koh Samui parking as seen on Thaiger News.
