Pattaya
A horrific traffic accident claimed the life of a 46-year-old pickup truck driver this past weekend when his vehicle collided head-on with a Toyota Alphard van on the parallel lane of Motorway Route 7, near Sirin House Village in Nong Prue.
The accident was reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. Police Lieutenant Colonel Jeerasak Aebphaeng, duty investigation officer at Nongprue Police Station, rushed to the scene along with rescue volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation.
At the scene, debris from both vehicles was scattered across the roadway. A bronze-silver Toyota Mighty X pickup truck, used for buying and selling scrap metal – had smashed into a white Toyota Alphard van. The front ends of both vehicles were completely destroyed.
Tragically, the body of the pickup driver, identified as Mr. Phanomphon Murichan, 46, was found partially underneath the Alphard. Rescue workers confirmed he was already deceased. The victim had been ejected from his vehicle upon impact and was then run over by the van, suffering severe crush injuries to his head and abdomen.
The driver of the Alphard, Mr. Yu Bo, a 65-year-old Chinese national, remained at the scene and cooperated fully with authorities. He was visibly shaken but uninjured.
A passenger in the van, Ms. Mai (pseudonym), 45, described the moments leading up to the crash to The Pattaya News:
“We were heading home to the Nong Pla Lai area. As we reached the intersection and started turning left, a pickup truck came speeding from the opposite direction and slammed into us. The impact was deafening. Mr. Yu said he simply didn’t see the pickup until it was too late. When we got out to check, we were shocked to discover the other driver had been thrown from his vehicle and ended up underneath our van. We immediately called for rescue services.”
Police conducted a detailed examination of the scene, collected evidence, and interviewed witnesses. Mr. Yu Bo was taken to Nong Prue Police Station for further questioning to determine the exact cause of the collision.
Authorities are continuing their investigation and will review any available CCTV footage from the area. Charges, if any, will be filed once the inquiry is complete.
