Police Officer Hit by Bus While Chasing Fleeing Suspect Suffers Critical Injuries; Emergency Surgery Required
A Surat Thani police officer suffered critical injuries including a fractured skull and internal bleeding when struck by a bus while pursuing a fleeing suspect near Kanchanadit district on May 6. He underwent emergency surgery and remains h
At 6:26 PM on May 6, 2569, Kanchanadit Police Station in Surat Thani province received a report that a police officer had been hit by a bus while apprehending a suspect and sustained critical injuries near a Super Cheap store in Tha Thong Nai subdistrict, Kanchanadit district, Surat Thani province. Investigation and rescue personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene.
When they arrived, they found Pol. Sgt. Natthapon Khuea Dej (nicknamed "Muay Thai"), a patrol supervisor at Kanchanadit Police Station, lying face-down on the roadside median strip in critical condition and unconscious. He had severe injuries including a fractured skull and a severely deformed right wrist fracture. A green bus with a shattered right windshield was parked nearby at the scene.
Rescue personnel from Surat Thani Kusalasat Foundation rushed him to Kanchanadit Hospital before transferring him to Surat Thani Hospital. Doctors discovered significant internal bleeding in the abdominal cavity and rushed him into surgery for emergency drainage. His fractured skull required a CT scan for further assessment. His condition remains stable with close medical supervision.
Investigation revealed that prior to the incident, Pol. Sgt. Natthapon had been tracking and attempting to arrest Natthapaht, a suspect accused of stealing water meter protective caps from residential properties. After receiving a report that the suspect was spotted near a sausage stand, the officer made the arrest. However, while being transported, Natthapaht resisted and fled across the street. Pol. Sgt. Natthapon and another officer pursued him closely, but as they crossed the street, a bus traveling at high speed struck Pol. Sgt. Natthapon, sending him flying into the middle of the road. The suspect, Natthapaht, escaped into a nearby alley but was subsequently apprehended.
Initial charges against the suspect include illegally carrying a knife in a public residential area and possession of methamphetamine (Category 1 drug). The theft charges remain under further investigation for prosecution.
