A highly respected medical specialist critically injured by a motorcycle ridden by a foreigner on Koh Phangan last month died on Sunday.
Assoc Prof Dr Theerasuk Kawamatawong, 53, suffered severe brain trauma when hit by the motorcycle on the night of May 23 in Surat Thani province.
Dr Theerasuk was initially treated for his injuries at Koh Phangan Hospital, then transferred to Bangkok Hospital in Samui and later to Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok for specialist care.
The 51-year-old rider, British national Duncan Wilcock, was reportedly riding without a valid licence and tested positive for cocaine.
Dr Theerasuk's death was announced by the hospital on Sunday, drawing an outpouring of grief from colleagues, students and the wider medical community, where he was widely respected as a physician and medical educator.
He was a pulmonologist at Ramathibodi Hospital and a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University. He also practised at Vimut Phaholyothin Hospital in Bangkok and at Bangkok Hospital Samui while volunteering at Koh Phangan Hospital.
"Throughout his career, he served with dedication and commitment," Vimut Phaholyothin Hospital said in a condolence statement. "His contributions to medicine and to the care of his patients will be remembered by all of us."
The circumstances surrounding the accident remain under investigation, with Koh Phangan police now looking to file additional charges against the British suspect.
