Pattaya – A Chinese national caused a devastating multi-vehicle crash on Thepprasit Road in the Pattaya area resulting in numerous injuries and at least one fatality.
At 9:06 PM on December 5th, 2024, Pol. Lt. Sanan Kotanon, Deputy Chief of Investigation at Pattaya City Police Station, Khong Dong Tan Sub-branch, received a report of a severe car accident involving multiple cars and motorcycles. Rescue workers from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya City were dispatched to the scene.
Upon arrival, officers found two pickup trucks damaged in front of a gas station on Thepprasit Road. Approximately 100 meters away, a black MG sedan was found overturned and severely damaged. Inside the wreckage was the body of Mr. Sahaprom Wongmak, 30, who had died on impact. Nearby, a black Chevrolet Cruze and four motorcycles were also damaged.
The luxury van responsible for the accident continued driving for another 200 meters before colliding with a black Suzuki sedan causing the car to spin and crash nearby, injuring two unidentified foreign tourists. The van also struck a bronze Mitsubishi Pajero SUV before finally stopping. The driver, identified as Mr. Zhang, 39, a Chinese national, was found uninjured but refusing to speak with authorities and was restrained by police and bystanders. Witnesses claimed he appeared to be heavily intoxicated.
Eyewitness Mr. Kitti Thongsopa, 42, reported that while refueling at a gas station, he saw the luxury van speeding and swerving into a parked pickup truck before speeding away. The van subsequently hit the back of the MG sedan, causing it to overturn and kill the driver instantly, before continuing to crash into several other vehicles.
Mr. Somsak Thammarang, 25, a food delivery driver and witness, recounted seeing the high-speed van crash into a pile of cars on the road. He attempted to avoid it but was struck, sustaining minor injuries.
CCTV footage captured the moment the Alphard van hit the MG sedan, somersaulted, and struck parked cars before hitting a Suzuki sedan and a Pajero, then crossing the median and stopping in the opposite lane. Many foreign tourists in front of the Threpprasit Market were seen fleeing the scene in panic.
Initial investigations by Pol. Lt. Sanan Kotanon revealed that seven sedans and five motorcycles were damaged in the crash. Mr. Zhang, who appeared intoxicated but uninjured, was taken for alcohol and drug testing as part of the ongoing legal proceedings to ensure justice for all parties involved.
