A professional boxer from the UK is currently in a coma following a tragic incident in Thailand. Colin Cairney, 29, sustained severe head injuries after falling from a moving tuk-tuk in Phuket’s Patong district. The mishap occurred during a disagreement over a taxi fare in the early hours of Saturday.
Cairney, a resident of Stirling, central Scotland, was returning to his hotel after a night out when a payment dispute with the tuk-tuk driver escalated. It is reported that Cairney did not have cash on hand, leading to arrangements for him to withdraw money from an ATM nearby.
Security footage captured the tuk-tuk passing The Nature Hotel around 4 am without stopping, and later returning towards Patong. Authorities confirmed that Cairney fell from the vehicle’s back, sustaining a critical head injury upon impact with the road. Investigations ruled out foul play, indicating that Cairney fell accidentally without any external force.
Emergency services responded to a report of a man lying injured near a pedestrian crossing on Phra Baramee Road around 4:10 am. Cairney was promptly transported to Patong Hospital and later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital for specialized care.
Law enforcement has located the registered owner of the tuk-tuk, who stated that the vehicle had been rented out to another individual operating it as a taxi. Efforts are ongoing to locate and interrogate the driver in question.
Alcohol and drug tests have been conducted, although the results are pending release. If Cairney’s condition deteriorates and leads to fatality, the driver could face charges such as negligent driving causing death, failure to stop and aid an injured person, and failure to report the incident to authorities.