Driver nods off, flips car and sets Bangkok toll booth ablaze (video)
Fire crews rushed to scene after vehicle overturned and caught fire
A car crash and fire broke out at a Bangkok toll booth after a driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, prompting an emergency response from police and fire crews.
The fiery crash happened at 4.49am today, November 1, when officers from Vibhavadi Police Station were alerted to a car on fire at the Chaeng Watthana 1 toll booth on the inbound Uttraphimuk (Don Mueang) tollway in Talat Bang Khen, Laksi district.
Rescue teams from the Uttraphimuk elevated expressway unit and firefighters from Bang Khen station rushed to the scene. They found a grey Honda Jazz, licence plate 5 กน 1500 Bangkok, overturned with its wheels in the air and engulfed in flames in the third toll lane.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze in about 10 minutes, but the vehicle was completely destroyed. A metal signpost was also knocked down and the toll booth’s canopy suffered serious damage.
The 33 year old driver told police he had just dropped off a friend in Laksi and was heading back to his accommodation near Victory Monument when fatigue got the better of him.
“I briefly fell asleep just as I approached the toll booth. The car veered into the concrete barrier and overturned. I saw flames coming from the engine and scrambled out.”
Fortunately, he escaped with only minor injuries.
Officers have documented the scene and are continuing their investigation. The extent of the damage to the toll booth infrastructure is being assessed, and legal proceedings are expected to follow.
Police are also reviewing the case to determine whether further charges will be filed, including for potential negligence leading to property damage, reported KhaoSod.
The incident caused brief disruptions to morning traffic on the inbound Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, though authorities quickly cleared the area once the fire was contained and debris was removed.
So far, no other injuries have been reported, and officials confirmed that no toll booth staff were harmed in the incident.
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