Crash involving motorbike and garbage truck kills woman in Chon Buri

Another road tragedy in Chon Buri has claimed a woman’s life.

A crash involving a motorbike and a garbage truck killed a woman in Chon Buri early yesterday morning. The victim was identified as 51 year old Thanaployphan Srikun. The incident happened in the Sri Racha district.

Police and rescuers found Thanaployphan lying on the ground with severe head wounds. Her white Scoopy I motorbike was found near her body. Her body was transferred to Laem Chabang Hospital.

The garbage truck driver, 58 year old Sukchai Arunwangdee, said that Thanaployphan cut in front of his truck when emerging from Soi Bueng-Bowin 39. Sukchai said he couldn’t stop in time, and crashed into her, Thai Rath reported.

Nong Kham police brought Sukchai to the station for further questioning.

Thanaployphan’s life is the latest loss in Thailand’s notorious problem with road deaths. The country 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.

Chon Buri in particular has had a number of road deaths involving motorcyclists that have made headlines.

Last month, a huge truck crushed a young motorcyclist to death in Chon Buri’s main city district. The victim was a 20 year old man who had been driving home from work.

Just days before that, a female factory worker was crushed to death in Chon Buri’s Sri Racha district. The 24 year old victim had also been heading home from work on her motorcycle.

In October there was yet another fatal incident in Chon Buri involving a truck killing a motorcyclist. The young woman, also a factory worker, was killed in a hit-and-run in the Sri Racha district.

Will Chon Buri, and Thailand at large, manage to find a long-term solution to its tragic problem with road deaths?