Thai motorcyclist hits South Korean man on zebra crossing
A Thai motorcyclist struck a South Korean pedestrian at a zebra crossing on a Bangkok road on Thursday, 23 January. The incident occurred at the same location as a case in 2022 when a Thai ophthalmologist was fatally struck by a motorcycle.
The Facebook page เรารักด่านตรวจ (translating to “We Love Police Checkpoints”) shared dashcam footage of the accident on Phaya Thai Road to its followers on Sunday, January 26. The caption read, “The same spot where the eye doctor was hit. Red light means nothing.”
The video showed other vehicles slowing down and stopping at the red light to allow pedestrians to cross, but the motorcyclist failed to stop and struck one of the pedestrians. The victim was later identified as a South Korean national, but his name has not been disclosed to the public.
According to KomChadLuek, the 68 year old South Korean man sustained a head injury and was rushed to Phaya Thai Hospital following the accident. He was reportedly discharged from the hospital on the same day and has since returned to his home country.
One of the most widely publicised fatal road accidents occurred at this zebra crossing on January 21, 2022, when a Thai police officer collided with ophthalmologist Dr Waraluck “Kratai” Supawatjariyakul while she was crossing the road.
A memorial ceremony marking the doctor’s death had just been held at the same location on Tuesday, January 21, only a few days before the recent incident.
The motorcyclist, identified as Kwanchai, is set to be summoned for questioning at Phaya Thai Police Station today, January 28. He sustained minor injuries in the accident, and tests confirmed he had no alcohol in his system.
Kwanchai has initially been charged under Sections 22 and 43(4) of the Land Transport Act for failing to obey traffic signals and reckless driving causing injury. The penalty for these offences is a fine of up to 1,000 baht.
He may also face penalties under Section 390 of the Criminal Law for reckless driving causing injury, which carries a maximum sentence of one month in prison, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both.
Kwanchai’s wife publicly apologised to the South Korean victim and the public, explaining that her husband was unfamiliar with the route and failed to notice the traffic light. She added that it was his first time riding on Phaya Thai Road, and the motorcycle belonged to a relative. She added that the vehicle was uninsured.
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