Drowsy driver crashes sedan into cyclists killing 1, injuring 10

A drowsy driver fell asleep behind the wheel of his sedan and crashed into a group of cyclists on the road in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. One cyclist was killed and 10 were injured.

A security camera on the Nakhon Si Thammarat-Surat Thani Road in the Sichon district clearly shows the incident that happened at 7am on Monday, January 16.

Seven cyclists were riding along the road when a sedan suddenly appeared from behind and wiped them out before crashing into a pickup parked nearby.

One cyclist, 32 year old Kasidit Na Nakhon, was killed at the scene. The security camera shows Kasidit falling from the bicycle and hitting his head on the road.

Six cyclists were seriously injured while the pickup driver and its three passengers suffered minor injuries.

The sedan driver was identified as 32 year old Nattaphon Patchana. His vehicle was completely destroyed but Nattaphon escaped injury. Nattaphon waited for police at the scene and admitted that he fell asleep while driving.

The charge against Nattaphon has not been reported by the police.

Drowsy driving is considered reckless driving according to Thai law. So, Nattaphon could be charged with Section 291: whoever drives recklessly and causes death to another person shall be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both.

Road deaths are common in the kingdom of Thailand. Only last night two Thai men were tragically killed in unrelated road accidents in different regions of the country. Both of them had won the lottery earlier that day.

On Monday morning, police reported that five men were fatally injured and four sustained serious injuries after a pickup truck veered off a rural road at a bend and collided with a tree in the Non Thai district in Northern Thailand.