Thai driver loses control, crashes into fish-loaded vehicle, 3 killed

Three people lost their lives in a devastating crash involving a Toyota Fortuner, another motorbike with a sidecar loaded with fish, and an electric light pole in Thailand. Authorities were alerted to the incident which took place on Rama 2 Road in Amphawa in the central Samut Songkhram province this morning.

A 33 year old driver, a manager of a company in Samut Sakhon, was found unconscious in the driver’s seat of the white Toyota Fortuner. Rescue workers unsuccessfully attempted to resuscitate him. About 80 metres away in the central reservation, the body of a 51 year old woman from Myanmar was discovered. A 37 year old man, also from Myanmar, was found dead on the left side of the road.

Nearby, a black Honda Wave motorcycle modified with a sidecar and loaded with fish had fallen into a parallel drainage ditch. The back of the motorbike was severely damaged and the fish were scattered across the road.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the Fortuner was returning home after completing some business errands in Ratchaburi and was using Rama 2 Road to reach his accommodation in Pak Tho. The accident occurred in the early morning, suggesting that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

The impact caused the motorbike with the sidecar to be flung into the parallel drainage ditch, while the Fortuner crashed into a roadside electric light pole. The motorbike’s occupants had just purchased fish at the Mae Klong Market and were on their way to sell them in Ratchaburi. The cause of this tragic incident is still being investigated by authorities, with a total of three fatalities reported.

The ThaiRSC reported in January that as many as 939,713 road accidents were reported in Thailand last year, up 4.7% from 2021. Road accidents killed 14,737 people, and injured 924,799 last year, ThaiRSC said. The committee reported that 536 deaths and 7,885 injuries were among foreigners.

Following the Songkran holiday this year, during the ‘seven deadly days‘ from April 11 to 17, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) revealed that there were 2,203 road accidents, 2,208 injuries, and 264 deaths during this period.

Bangkok recorded the highest number of fatalities with 22 deaths. Chiang Rai had the highest number of accidents with 68, while Nakhon Si Thammarat recorded the highest number of injuries with 70.