The commander of Phuket Provincial Prison, Somkid Kammang, said that Prawit Pitak, 23, who was imprisoned on a theft charge, escaped from Vachira Phuket Hospital at 7pm yesterday.
According to Mr Somkid, Prawit had been suffering from a swollen left leg and was finding it hard to move.
Prison nurses administered first aid but Prawit’s symptoms became worse so he was taken to an outside prison.
Once admitted to Vachira Phuket Hospital Prawit somehow managed to escape and is now being sought by police.