One of the officers involved in the pursuit has sustained serious injuries, report police.
Phuket Town Police Station notified Kusoldharm rescue workers of the accident, at the Tha Kraeng Intersection on the south side of Phuket Town, at 7am.
At the scene rescue workers and ambulance medical personnel found the Myanmar man – later named by police in Thai as “Mr Pieow Go”, age 33, a Myanmar construction worker registered as living in Phuket Town – with scrapes on the face, right hand and both knees.
Of the two patrol policemen, Officer Dechaphol Buaphut suffered only minor injuries, but Sub Lt Thapakorn Chuchan sustained serious injuries to his mouth.
Both police officers and Mr Pieow Go were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Phuket City Police explained that the two officers were on patrol when they ordered Mr Pieow Go to pull over. He did not.
Police gave pursuit until they reached the Tha Khang Intersection, near Sanaam Luang (or King’s Park) on the south side of town, where both the Myanmar man and the police officers in pursuit fell from their motorbikes.
Officers then found Mr Pieow Go was carrying 50 kratom leaves with him at the time of the accident.
Police have confirmed Mr Pieow Go has been charged with possession of kratom leaves.
Police have yet to confirm whether he will face any additional charges.
Mr Pieow Go’s antics and arrest comes as the Thai government moves to decriminalise kratom in its natural state.
An amendment bill removing kratom from the narcotics list cruised through the final stages in the House of Representatives on Jan 27, taking it one step closer to legalisation.
MPs voted 319-7 in the second and third readings to pass the bill, which will now go to the Senate for final approval. It will become law 90 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette.