Navy Officer Killed After Falling Asleep at the Wheel and Crashing into Tree in Sattahip

Sattahip —

A Royal Thai Navy officer lost his life after his car veered off the road and crashed into a tree in Sattahip, likely due to falling asleep at the wheel.

The tragic accident took place on September 25th, 2024, on 331 Road inbound to Sattahip district, Chonburi province. Upon receiving the report, Sattahip police coordinated with rescue workers before rushing to the scene.

There, they found the body of Petty Officer First Class Phoptawan Suwan from the Naval Education Department, inside the car wreckage. He was pronounced dead on the spot.

The officer was dressed in a military camouflage uniform, and he had sustained grievous head injuries. The deceased’s red Suzuki sedan was found overturned on its side, with severe front-end damage. Skid marks showed that the car had veered off the road for over 100 meters.

According to CCTV footage, the victim’s car was traveling normally in the right lane before it suddenly lost control, veered into the median, and collided with a tree. Mr. Boonkong, a witness, said he saw the car speeding before it gradually swerved into the median and hit the tree. He and his son tried to assist the driver by overturning the car but were unable to due to its weight. They then notified the police for help. He also noted that there had been three to four accidents in the area before, but this was the most severe.

Initially, it is suspected that the victim may have fallen asleep at the wheel. His body was sent to Banglamung Hospital for preservation to await his relatives to perform religious rites.