PHUKET, THAILAND – Police in Patong arrested a 30-year-old man after a Wednesday night incident in which he allegedly threatened pedestrians with a starter pistol near a central intersection.
A 2–3 sentence AI-generated summary goes here: Police in Phuket arrested Adiphong Simalai, aged 30, after officers in Patong located his pickup truck near Patong Police Station on Wednesday night. Police teams from multiple units took action after receiving emergency calls from the Nam Sia intersection shortly after 22:00. Officers reported that the breath test conducted at the scene measured 127 milligrams per 100 milliliters, which exceeded Thailand’s legal limit.
Incident near Nam Sia intersection
Officials from the Patong Police Station received several emergency calls at 22:00 on Wednesday reporting that Adiphong Simalai, aged 30, displayed a weapon-like object from a moving pickup truck near the Nam Sia intersection in Phuket. Police patrol and traffic teams initiated a coordinated search operation across Patong within minutes of the first report.
Two eyewitness groups told investigators at the Patong Police Station that the pickup moved from the Nam Sia intersection toward Patong Hospital immediately after the threat. Officers from three police units documented the route taken toward Patong Hospital and deployed vehicles across at least two main roads leading to the facility.
Arrest across from Patong Police Station
Police teams from the Patong Police Station located the pickup truck directly opposite the Patong Police Station on Wednesday night and carried out a blockade manoeuvre involving two patrol vehicles. Officers at the scene ordered Adiphong Simalai to exit the vehicle and conducted a vehicle search on the roadside outside the station.
Investigators from the Patong station recorded the seizure of one starter pistol and two 9mm blank cartridges from the truck during the search on Wednesday night. Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat, the station chief, received direct notification of the arrest at the Patong facility within minutes of the confiscation.
Alcohol test and legal proceedings
A breath analysis conducted by traffic officers at 22:30 on Wednesday recorded 127 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters, more than double Thailand’s recognized limit. Investigators from the Patong Police Station opened two charges against Adiphong Simalai, including drunk driving and possession of a weapon-like item used to cause public alarm.
An investigative officer at the Patong Police Station confirmed that the case file was transferred for prosecution on Thursday morning and noted that checks on prior records for Adiphong Simalai remained ongoing. Officials from the Patong station reported no injuries among the pedestrians at the Nam Sia intersection following Wednesday’s incident.
Police public warning
Senior officers from the Patong Police Station issued a public advisory on Thursday, urging residents across Phuket to contact authorities immediately when observing threatening behavior. Police officials emphasized that the rapid deployment of three police teams on Wednesday night depended on timely calls reporting the incident at the Nam Sia intersection.
- Immediate reporting of threats increases police response speed.
- Alcohol levels above Thailand’s limit trigger mandatory legal action.
- Weapon-like objects displayed in public areas can lead to prosecution.