British national Peter Murrray, 60, reported as missing by his family in the UK, is safe and on the island, but being detained at Phuket Provincial Prison while driving charges against him are being heard in court.
Concerns for Peter’s welfare were raised last week when his niece Shannon reached out to The Phuket News for help in locating her uncle.
Peter’s sister Sonia explained that Peter had booked tickets to fly to Bulgaria to meet family there, but failed to arrive on Aug 2. All attempts to contact Peter since then had failed.
Peter had been living in Phuket Town for about four years, Sonia noted.
Lt Wirote Pornpraprut of the Phuket City Police confirmed to The Phuket News today (Aug 10) that Peter is currently facing charges of drunk driving and reckless driving after he was involved in an accident on July 28.
He was held at Phuket City Police Station on July 28-29, then arraigned and taken to Phuket Provincial Prison to await trial, Lt Wirote said.
Lt Wirote gave only a brief description of the accident. “Peter was driving a motorbike that collided with another motorbike. The person riding the other motorbike was injured, but the injury was not serious,” he said.
“I checked his alcohol level, which registered as 300mg [0.3 BAC], and so I charged him with drunk driving,” he added.
Lt Wirote told The Phuket News, “Peter’s case was reported to the [British] embassy on the same day of the accident, July 28,” Lt Wirote said.
Asked Peter’s current state of health, Lt Wirote confirmed, “He is fine.”
Asked why there was such a long delay in processing a simple drunk driving and reckless driving charge, Lt Wirote said he had to wait for a criminal background check to come from Bangkok.
A representative with the British Embassy in Bangkok this afternoon confirmed that Peter is safe, and is receiving embassy assistance.
The Phuket News was granted three minutes to speak with Peter at the prison this afternoon.
Sporting a prison haircut, Peter was not overly in good spirits, but confirmed that he was in good health.
“I am still sore from the accident,” he said, pointing to the right side of his body.
Peter also confirmed that a British embassy representative had already visited him earlier this afternoon, along with a person who had been assisting the family to locate him**.
“I hope to post bail by the end of this week,” Peter said, also pointing out that he was a regular reader of The Phuket News.
