Pattaya City-
At 4:30 a.m. on October 19th, 2024, Pol. Lt. Apinan Srithongrungthip, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of the Banglamung Police Station, was alerted to a pickup truck accident that caused significant damage in Nongprue, near Pattaya. The incident occurred in front of the Sukun Piem drugstore on Soi Khao Talo.
Upon arrival, authorities found a black Ford Ranger with Chonburi license plates that had crashed into a local drugstore. The vehicle then veered into a hotel building and collided with a parked sedan, leaving the front of the truck severely damaged with broken wheels. The driver, identified only as Mr. Pilarinos, a 47-year-old Australian, sustained minor injuries, while his girlfriend, who wasn’t identified, also in the vehicle, was uninjured.
Initially, the unidentified girlfriend claimed to be the driver, stating that she was inexperienced and caused the crash. However, a witness and photos taken from bystanders confirmed she was actually not driving, leading her to admit that the Mr. Pilarinos was actually the person behind the wheel. She also acknowledged they had been drinking alcohol prior to the accident, said Police Lt. Apinan.
Police escorted Mr. Pilarinos for an alcohol test and will review CCTV footage to determine the exact cause of the incident before looking into legal charges and financial liability from the accident. Mr. Pilarinos did not speak directly to the Thai media and no reasons were given for why his girlfriend originally attempted to claim she had been driving.
