2-year online romance ends when Swedish man dies in motorbike crash

A heart-wrenching tragedy played out when a Swedish man lost his life in a motorcycle crash in Roi Et province. The 50 year old had been in the country for just five days, visiting his Thai girlfriend whom he had met online two years prior.

He arrived just a few days earlier to finally be with his Thai love. The Swedish man, identified only as Steefan, crashed his motorbike though there were no witnesses to the accident. According to residents, around 2.30pm yesterday they heard the noise of a motorbike speeding through the neighbourhood on Suvarnabhumi-Ban Dong Mai Road followed by a loud crashing sound and rushed to investigate.

At the scene, authorities found the Swedish man’s body in a roadside ditch, having lost control of his motorcycle at a curve and crashed. He struck a concrete pipe, resulting in a fatal broken neck. The local authorities, Suvarnabhumi Police and a Suvarnabhumi Hospital doctor joined rescue workers at the scene but it was too late.

His devastated 27 year old girlfriend was also at the scene, overcome with grief. She recounted to authorities that the couple had only just met in person for the first time five days prior, after a two-year online romance. They planned to live together and she had even introduced him to her family.

The couple finished lunch together yesterday afternoon and Steefan had mentioned going for a ride to take some photos of the area. Tragically, it was just a short time later when Veeranuch received the news of his death, just 6 kilometres from her village.

According to police, the crash was likely caused by the Swedish man’s unfamiliarity with the area and excessive speed on his motorcycle. He likely took a curve far too fast and lost control, smashing into a concrete pipe and breaking his neck. His body has been taken for an autopsy, and legal procedures will be followed thereafter.