Thai taxi driver filmed blocking ambulance before patient’s death sparks outrage
Dashcam footage of the incident in Phuket has reignited public anger over drivers ignoring emergency sirens
A taxi driver in Thailand is facing criminal charges after blocking an ambulance carrying a critically ill man who later died before reaching hospital – an incident that has reignited public anger over poor road etiquette.
The confrontation unfolded on Sunday morning in Phuket’s Kathu district, but it was not until Tuesday that dashcam footage of the encounter went viral online, drawing widespread condemnation from the public and sparking calls for greater driver accountability.
In the video, first shared by the Kamala Subdistrict Administrative Organisation Rescue Centre, the taxi driver is seen driving in the middle lane and refusing to give way to the ambulance, despite its siren blaring and emergency lights flashing.
Instead, the cabby tries to cut in front of the ambulance to avoid a parked vehicle, forcing both to halt.
The ambulance was carrying a 77-year-old man with a history of heart disease who had earlier collapsed in a durian orchard, The Nation reported.
His family had contacted the rescue centre, which coordinated a transfer from Kamala to Patong Hospital.
The centre said that the patient’s daughter, a nurse, performed continuous CPR during the journey until the ambulance was blocked by the taxi on Kamala-Patong Road, a delay that prevented the patient from receiving timely treatment.
According to The Bangkok Post, the patient was later pronounced dead at 8.45am while still en route to the hospital, around half an hour after his relatives first called for an ambulance.
The footage triggered a wave of outrage on Thai social media. One viewer commented: “Very selfish. Did the driver think that the siren was turned on for fun?”
Others said the incident reflected a broader pattern of Thai drivers ignoring emergency vehicles, with some urging stricter enforcement of traffic laws.
In response, local authorities launched an investigation. Patong Police and the hospital reviewed both CCTV and dashboard footage before questioning the taxi driver.
Police have since filed two charges – obstructing an emergency vehicle and violating a patient’s rights – with legal proceedings now under way.
The incident highlights a long-standing problem in Thailand, where poor road conditions and reckless driving habits have repeatedly jeopardised emergency medical care.
Thai authorities told The Bangkok Post in 2017 that about 20 per cent of emergency patients do not survive the journey to the hospital due to traffic congestion and other vehicles not giving way to ambulances.
