7 year old girl falls from mum’s bike, killed by oncoming public bus in Bangkok

A seven year old girl was tragically killed on a Bangkok road yesterday while travelling to school. The child fell from her mother’s white Yamaha Scoopy motorcycle and was run over by an oncoming public bus. The driver drove on without stopping, later saying he did not notice the girl.

A rescue team and medical workers from Sirirat Hospital rushed to the scene on the Kamnan Maen Road, or Soi Ekkachai 36, in the Bang Khun Thian sub-district of Chom Thong district in Bangkok.

The girl was found lying on a footpath with a serious head injury. Rescuers tried to save the girl without success.

The mother of the girl, 30 year old Luxsamee, suffered a mild injury.

A witness told officers from Bang Khun Thian Police Station that the woman and her daughter rode from Soi Kamnan Maen 5 to the main Kamnan Maen Road. She was turning right to go toward her daughter’s school but lost control which resulted in the girl falling onto the other side of the road.

Kamnan Maen Road is a two-way traffic road without a traffic island. A blue public No. 52 bus was travelling on the other side of the road at a normal speed when the girl fell and the bus ran over her. The bus driver did not stop to check and continued on his journey.

Another witness, 36 year old Itsara Klaisaeng, revealed that she followed the bus and told the driver to stop. The driver told her that he did not see the girl and then drove away.

Netizens felt sorry for the bus driver and believed in his confession adding that there might have been a blind spot for the driver. Some netizens checked CCTV footage and spotted a green car behind the motorcycle which might have been involved in the accident.

Police reported that the bus driver, 61 year old Thongchai, was initially charged with driving recklessly causing the death of another person according to Section 291 of the Criminal Law. He will be punished with imprisonment for up to ten years and a fine of up to 200,000 baht.

The investigating officer reported the case is ongoing and would question Thongchai more about the incident and check the CCTV along the route before concluding the case.