Couple die in crash; daughter, 5, survives in Nakhon Ratchasima

A couple died after their pickup truck skidded off a rain-soaked road and crashed into a tree in Sung Noen district, Nakhon Ratchasima, on April 30. Their five year old daughter survived with only minor injuries.

At around 5pm, rescue workers from the Sawang Saeng Tham Foundation arrived near the Kut Chik junction in Na Klang subdistrict, responding to reports of a car crash on Mittraphap Road. They found a silver-bronze Toyota Vigo pickup with its front crushed against a tree. All three occupants were trapped inside as heavy rain continued to fall. Rescuers deployed hydraulic cutting equipment to free them from the wreckage.

The driver, 36 year old Chukiat Thongtee, was given CPR at the scene before being rushed to Sung Noen Hospital, where he died from his injuries. His wife, 32 year old Hathairat Suwanphakde, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Their daughter, Kanyarat, escaped with minor injuries. During the rescue operation, she asked the team whether her parents were dead and whether she would die too. The moment left rescuers visibly affected. She was eventually freed and comforted by the team before being taken to receive medical attention.

The family had been travelling from Nakhon Ratchasima city to Sung Noen, where both parents were employed.

Police said the crash was caused by slippery road conditions brought on by the rain. They advised motorists on Mittraphap Road and surrounding routes to reduce speed, use headlights, and exercise caution during wet weather, particularly on long stretches of road prone to surface water, reported Bangkok Post.