Chinese tourist mowed down on zebra crossing in Samut Prakan

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

A Chinese tourist was fatally struck down on a zebra crossing by a reckless pickup truck driver in Bang Bo district, Samut Prakan province.

The Chinese tourist, merely on his first day in Thailand, faced an untimely demise in the flurry of Friday night chaos.

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Authorities have launched a frantic search for a 35 year old Cambodian suspect allegedly behind the wheel during the fatal hit-and-run. As per police reports, the driver made a daring escape, leaving behind a trail of tragedy and deceit.

Deputy Investigation Chief Police Lieutenant Pongmetha Charot disclosed that the calamitous incident unfolded near a hotel on Soi Navamin 4 off Bang Na Garden Road around 10pm. Despite valiant efforts by emergency responders, the 67 year old Chinese national succumbed to his injuries at the scene, his identity is still unknown until family and relatives are notified.

Heart-stopping CCTV footage captured the chilling moment the unsuspecting pedestrian was ruthlessly struck down whilst traversing the pedestrian crossing. The impact hurled his frail body nearly 100 metres, as bystanders scrambled to render aid, futile in the face of the fleeing perpetrator.

Kittithara Arjor, a guide accompanying the tour group, recounted the grim episode, revealing it occurred as the victim was innocently returning to his lodgings from a nearby convenience store, reported Bangkok Post.

Authorities are locating the rogue vehicle at a construction firm in the Mueang district. The battered pickup, stripped of its sirens, betrayed the horror it unleashed, leading investigators to a startling revelation.

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The registered owner, a woman whose identity remains veiled, confessed to selling the vehicle to a certain Cambodian individual months prior, yet the legal handover lingered incomplete. Forensic analysis of the vehicle yielded crucial evidence, implicating a 35 year old Cambodian, identified by fingerprints as Thon (nickname).

Despite a manhunt underway and border checkpoints on high alert, the fugitive and his accomplice, seemingly vanished into the night. With the assistance of diplomatic channels and appeals to family, authorities hope for the fugitive’s surrender.

Bangkok NewsCrime NewsThailand News

Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Originally from Hong Kong, Puntid moved to Bangkok in 2020 to pursue further studies in translation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. Puntid spent 8 years living in Manchester, UK. Before joining The Thaiger, Puntid has been a freelance translator for 2 years. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and listening to music, as well as writing short fiction and poetry.

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