Disabled man dies in hit-and-run in Chiang Rai

A 28 year old disabled man from Chiang Rai province was killed in a hit-and-run accident near the Khao Kai Kaew intersection in Banglamung district.

Amae Ma-yea, who suffered from atrophied limbs and polio, was struck by an unidentified vehicle near the Khao Mai Kaew intersection on Highway No. 331 (Sattahip – Nakhon Ratchasima). His lifeless body was found near Village Number 1 in the Khao Mai Kaew subdistrict.

Police and local villagers, who had been providing Amae with food, water, and assistance, discovered his body as they prepared to send him back to his hometown. Blood stains and his shoes were found approximately 500 metres from the Khao Mai Kaew police guardhouse, marking the spot where he died.

No witnesses came forward to the accident, but one young man swerved his car to avoid the body and subsequently called the police. After investigation, he was cleared of involvement as there were no signs of damage to his vehicle from a collision.

Two days before his death, Amae was found sleeping near a villager’s house by local reporter Thanaphat Avala and officers from Huai Yai Police Station. Amae explained that he had been abandoned by friends near U-Tapao International Airport and had walked along Highway Number 331 for two days, hoping to return to Chiang Rai. Exhausted, he sought shelter in a pavilion used for waiting for buses in front of the Khao Mai Kaew police guardhouse.

Police confirmed Amae’s identity and disability through his identification card. They took him to the Khao Mai Kaew guardhouse to gather information and contact his relatives. Amae shared that he had travelled with friends in Rayong province but was left behind at the airport. Determined to return home, he walked until he reached the Khao Mai Kaew intersection.

The accident occurred around 12.36pm on Thursday, July 4. CCTV footage from a nearby café captured Amae’s last moments as he walked into a store before finding a place to rest in the pool area behind the shop.

Police are continuing their efforts to identify and apprehend the driver responsible for the hit-and-run, reported Pattaya News.