Claudio Tomaselli, a 50-year-old Italian national, was arrested by Patong Police at around 4am near Loma Circle at the northern end of Patong Beach.
Since the his BAC was nearly twice the legal limit of 50mg/dL (0.05%), Mr Tomaselli was taken to Patong Police Station and charged with "driving while intoxicated."
Mr Tomaselli faces a fine of B5,000 to B20,000 and/or up to one year in prison if it is his first offense. The penalties are higher for a repeated violation.
Drivers who commit the same offense within two years face a fine of B50,000 to B100,000 and/or a jail term of up to two years (read more about the fines here).
According to the Thai Road Safety Foundation (ThaRSC), Phuket Province witnessed 52 road fatalities in the first quarter of 2024 (up 57.6% year-on-year) and over 7,155 hospitalizations (up 20.5% year-on-year). These statistics do not include minor injuries.
Compared to nationwide stats, Phuket has an alarmingly high level of nighttime accidents resulting in deaths. Of this year’s 52 fatalities, 30 were due to accidents between 10.01pm and 6.59am (57.7%). On a national level, the same time period accounts for only 29.7% of total road deaths.