PATTAYA, THAILAND – A 42-year-old driver crashed into a central road barrier on Sukhumvit Road at night and was arrested after admitting he had taken ketamine shortly before driving.
Crash shortly before midnight in Pattaya
Shortly before midnight, a grey compact car left its lane on Sukhumvit Road near a motorway access ramp and slammed into the central barrier. The vehicle came to a stop on top of the concrete divider with significant damage.
Debris was scattered across the lanes heading toward Chonburi, but other road users were not injured. Emergency services were dispatched immediately to secure the scene and assist the driver.
Driver barricaded himself in the vehicle
Rescue workers found the driver, a man from Sukhothai province, inside the locked car. He did not cooperate with the responders and refused to leave the vehicle voluntarily.
The rescuers had to force open the doors with tools to free him from the wreck. According to initial information, he did not sustain severe injuries in the crash.
Drug use before driving admitted
During questioning at the scene, the 42-year-old stated that he had taken ketamine before starting his journey. He appeared disoriented and was barely able to provide coherent information.
Ketamine is classified as a narcotic drug in Thailand, making possession and consumption illegal. Driving under the influence of narcotics is treated as a separate criminal offence under the country’s road traffic law.
Arrest and investigation
Pattaya police arrested the man at the crash site and took him to the local station. There, officers carried out drug tests and began formal questioning.
Investigators aimed to reconstruct the course of events during the night in detail. The driver faced possible charges of driving under the influence of drugs and endangering road traffic, while police reported that no other persons were injured in the incident.
Drug abuse in road traffic
Accidents linked to drug use remained a recurring problem on Thailand’s roads. Incidents involving drivers under the influence of narcotics were reported particularly frequently in the tourist zone of Pattaya.
The authorities stated they were tightening checks on busy routes and key traffic corridors. Drug screening had become standard procedure in accidents involving personal injury, as part of broader efforts to combat narcotics-related road offences.