Phuket Provincial Police first received a report from Cherng Police at 1:15pm, reporting a man driving a grey Mazda 2 driving dangerously, hitting other cars as he made his way along the busy road past the Cherng Talay Police Station.
Similar reports soon followed from Phuket Immigration officers and Phuket Tourist Police officers.
The grey Mazda 2 was reported as heading towards Baan Pasak and Baan Don, in Moo 4, Thepkrasattri, and exiting at Khao Lan Intersection on Thepkrasattri Rd in Srisoonthorn.
The man then drove south to the Heroines Monument, turned left towards Pa Khlok, made a U-turn and headed back to the Heroines Monument before heading towards Wat Tha Ruea.
The man then took the back roads through to Koh Kaew and made his way onto the road past the golf course towards Kathu.
Kathu Police set up a roadblock near the Loch Palm Golf Course, but as the man approached, he stopped and turned around and sped off. Police gave chase.
Further up the road the man had lost control of the car, which ended up wedged in a small roadside ditch.
The man in the car attempted to flee on foot, but police had him in custody some 300 metres later.
Officers found no illegal substances inside the car, and failed to find the man’s passport.
However, the man identified himself as George Ananare, a 25-year-old Nigerian national, police said.
Ananare’s passport expired years ago, during the COVID pandemic. A check of his criminal record found that he previously sold cocaine in Cherng Talay, Kamala and Patong, police reported.
A search of Ananare’s residence in Moo 4, Bang Jo, Srisoonthorn, found at least eight small pouches of cocaine, police noted. The amount of cocaine was not reported.
Officers also found many keys to other people’s residences.
Ananare was taken to Cherng Talay Police Station for questioning and to determine compensation for damage done to other people’s cars while he was fleeing police.
Police did not report whether Ananare was tested to determine whether he was under the influence of any substances at the time of his arrest.