<div>
	&ldquo;The siege lasted for about 20 minutes, during which the critically-ill patient&rsquo;s condition worsened,&rdquo; Krabi Hospital deputy director Dr Anan Pinthongphan said yesterday.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He said the ambulance left his hospital, in Krabi province, at 12.30am on Sunday to deliver the 71-year-old patient to Bangkok Phuket Hospital for coronary surgery.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to him, the ambulance driver learned that there were rioters on a main road in Phuket&rsquo;s Thalang district at that time and thus opted for a secondary road with the help of local rescue workers. However, some 20 to 30 rioters turned up to attack the ambulance. &ldquo;The side mirror was dislodged during the attack,&rdquo; Anan said, and as the attack dragged on, the patient&rsquo;s condition got worse.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The ambulance then tried to rush him to a hospital nearby and after that the patient was transferred to Bangkok Phuket Hospital. However, it was too late and he was pronounced dead on arrival,&rdquo; Anan said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The rioting occurred after claims that police were responsible for the death of two young drug suspects, who died in a road accident while chased by police.</div>

Patient 'died after ambulance attacked'

DOZENS of hooded rioters surrounded and attacked an ambulance carrying an elderly patient in Phuket's Thalang district early on Sunday. The patient died at a hospital a few hours later.