Irish man, 67, hospitalised after speeding smash into speed-limit sign on Patong-Kamala hill

A witness to the accident, reported at 4am, gave a statement that they had been tailing the car in another vehicle from Patong, and that when the car started to descend towards Kamala it appeared that the driver began to doze off before speeding off the road and smashing into the speed limit sign. The driver, who was named as Mr Derek John Essen of Ireland, was reported to be conscious but in a sleepy and dazed state when he was removed from the wreck by good samaritans and transported to Patong hospital. The wrecked car was collected and moved to Kamala Police Station. Pol Lt Col Somnuek Damkaew said, "We will now go to check on the man at hospital and check his blood for alcohol."