Car crash in Kanchanaburi kills German tourist and Thai driver

A car crash in Kanchanaburi province tragically killed a German tourist and a Thai tour van driver yesterday in Sai Yok district. The incident took place at around 6pm near kilometre marker 127+800 on Highway 323 (Sai Yok-Thong Pha Phum), near Moo 4 village in tambon Tha Sao.

The crash happened when a Toyota Fortuner veered across the middle line and crashed into the Go Thailand Tour Co van, Bangkok Post reported.

The van had been carrying two German tourists, 53 year old Thomas Stach Von Goltzheim and 51 year old Stach Von Goltzheim, and their guide Jarin Thamrongsupatkul.

The driver of the tour van, Prasit Boonyiam, was killed at the scene. Meanwhile, Thomas, Alexandra, and Jarin were all injured. Thomas suffered a broken pelvis and leg and lost a lot of blood. Alexandra’s leg was injured, however, her injuries were not serious. Jarin also had minor injuries.

Rescuers rushed the three victims to Maneeyakhet King Piya Hospital in Sai Yok district, where Thomas later died, according to Sai Yok investigator Pol Maj Sarit Tikhasuk.

The driver, 60 year old Chanchai Buakajorn, admitted that he fell asleep at the wheel, according to Thai Rath. The police are continuing to investigate.

Thailand was ranked the second most dangerous country to drive in according to a driver’s educational platform. There were 21,052 accidents in 2020, and 11,138 accidents in 2021. About 20% of accidents involved motorcycles, while 8% involved six-wheel trucks, and 8% involved trucks with at least 10 wheels.

Last week, another car crash in Thailand killed an elderly man and injured four others in Chon Buri province. The crash happened when one pickup truck rear-ended another. Rescuers discovered the elderly man, 70 year old Pongsak Preamsakchai, trapped beneath one of the pickups. They asked a crane truck stuck in traffic nearby to move the wreckage to rescue Preamsakchai. However, he later succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at the hospital.