Thai driver escapes serious injury as SUV hangs off parking building

A Thai woman and her passenger narrowly escaped serious injury after an SUV crashed through a wall and nearly plunged from the third floor of a car park building in the Khlong Toei area of Bangkok last night, January 20.

Officers from Por Teck Tung Rescue Foundation were called to the seven-storey car park in Khlong Toei at around 9pm to secure the vehicle and assist the occupants. The driver, a 55 year old Thai woman identified as Thaweep, and her passenger were later taken to hospital for thorough health checks.

Photos shared by rescuer Sittipon Benz on Facebook showed a grey Toyota Corolla Cross smashing through the concrete wall on the third floor of the building.

The SUV’s front wheels were hanging out over the edge, while the rear wheels were caught against the metal handrail, preventing the vehicle from falling to the ground below. The front bumper was left completely wrecked.

Rescuers reported that Thaweep suffered only minor injuries from the impact, while her passenger escaped without injury.

Thaweep told rescuers that she was preparing to drive home and had already started the engine. She said she turned around briefly to grab an item from the back seat and attempted to place her foot on the brake.

However, she accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead, causing the SUV to surge forward and crash violently into the wall.

Rescue teams quickly used ropes and specialised equipment to secure the vehicle and prevent it from falling. Additional tools were later deployed to safely remove the damaged SUV from the structure.

Similar accidents were reported in Bangkok in recent years. In 2024, a Thai woman crashed her car into a pickup on the fourth floor of a hospital car park, sending the vehicle off the building and onto the road below. Fortunately, no one was injured.

In 2023, a pickup truck accidentally reversed beyond the edge of a parking structure, leaving the vehicle hanging over the building, with the driver sustaining injuries and being rushed to hospital.