Beer bottle found in abandoned car as driver vanishes — but good Samaritans help police track him down nearby. PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya may pride itself on being a vibrant, open city — a place where people come to enjoy freedom, diversity, and the unexpected — but some boundaries still exist. And when those boundaries are crossed, the consequences can be deadly. Just after 3:00 AM on July 6, chaos unfolded on Sukhumvit Road near Wat Jittabhawan in Naklua area when a white Honda Civic slammed into a modified sidecar motorcycle used by an elderly man to collect recyclables. The impact was devastating: the cart was destroyed, plastic bottles scattered across the street, and the man, estimated to be in his 50s or 60s, was left unconscious and severely injured on the pavement. Rescue volunteers from Sawang Boriboon and doctors from Pattaya Patmakun Hospital performed CPR and rushed him to the ER in critical condition. One of the first to stop was Yotsaphon Jarunsan, a volunteer with Sawang Porakun Rescue Rayong, who was passing by at the time. “I saw the Civic abandoned in the right lane, car horns blaring all around it. When I stepped out to check, I saw a man lying on the ground, completely unconscious,” he said. Yotsaphon immediately called rescue services, helping to secure the scene. He also noticed the Civic’s front end crushed, its windshield smashed — and an open beer bottle sitting in the cupholder. But while emergency crews fought to save a life, the driver of the sedan did the opposite — fleeing the scene. Witnesses saw him making a call before slipping away during the confusion. Pattaya may be a free city, but not free from responsibility — especially when lives are at stake. Luckily, he didn’t get far. Good Samaritans spotted a man matching the description loitering nearby in another parked vehicle. Police quickly responded and found 42-year-old Khanchit Kingklai, visibly intoxicated, hiding out. He later confessed to being the driver and admitted to drinking beer before the crash. Officers also confirmed the open container inside the vehicle. Police have since taken him in for alcohol testing and legal processing, with charges likely to include drunk driving, fleeing the scene of an accident, and causing grievous injury. This tragic case serves as a reminder that while Pattaya embraces freedom, it does not excuse recklessness — especially on the roads. The city is not a lawless playground. A night of fun must still respect the rights and lives of others. And in Pattaya, freedom doesn’t mean fleeing your responsibilities. “I panicked,” driver admits after being caught hiding in a nearby vehicle, visibly intoxicated.   Elderly scrap collector critically injured after drunk driver slams into sidecar and flees the scene.