British man arrested after hit-and-run leaves renowned Thai doctor critically injured on Ko Pha-ngan
British national Duncan Wilcock was arrested on Ko Pha-ngan after striking renowned respiratory medicine specialist Dr. Thirasak Kaew-Amatawong with a motorcycle and fleeing the scene; cocaine was detected in his system.
KO PHA-NGAN — A British man has been arrested after allegedly hitting a prominent Thai doctor with a motorcycle on Ko Pha-ngan and fleeing the scene, with cocaine found in his system following the incident.
The collision occurred at 21:21 on 23 May 2026 on the road between Ko Pha-ngan Hospital and Thong Sala, in front of Noppharat Furniture Shop, Moo 1, Ko Pha-ngan subdistrict, Surat Thani province.
The victim, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thirasak Kaew-Amatawong, a respiratory medicine specialist and lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, was struck while walking and left critically injured. Bystanders rushed him to Ko Pha-ngan Hospital before police arrived.
The suspect fled the scene immediately after the collision. Officers reviewed CCTV footage from the area and surrounding roads, eventually identifying and locating the man on a tour boat moored at Wok Tum pier, Moo 4, Ko Pha-ngan. He was found with multiple abrasions on his body.
The suspect, identified as Duncan Wilcock, 51, a British national, confessed to police that he was the driver. He then led officers to the motorcycle used in the incident.
A drug test found no alcohol in his system, but detected cocaine. Wilcock was immediately charged and remanded in custody. Investigators presented him to Koh Samui Provincial Court on the morning of 26 May to seek a detention order. Police opposed bail, citing the severity of the charges, the risk of flight as a foreign national without a fixed address, and concern that he could flee the country if released.
As of 26 May, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thirasak remains in a critical but stable condition at Bangkok Hospital Samui. His medical team and family were making arrangements to transfer him by Royal Thai Police Aviation Division aircraft to Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok for further treatment.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thirasak has long been known for his volunteer work supporting the Ko Pha-ngan community.
