Foreign man in collision with sidecar motorcycle in Pattaya

A foreign man, who was reportedly drunk, crashed his motorcycle into a sidecar motorcycle in Pattaya yesterday, seriously injuring a Thai motorist.

The Sawang Dhammastan Rescue Foundation was alerted to the accident on Soi Chaiyaphruek 1 in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya yesterday, September 8. Upon arrival, rescuers found a severely damaged sidecar motorcycle with significant damage to its front, and its injured driver, a 68 year old Thai man named Narong.

Narong suffered fractures to both arms and his left leg, as well as a severe head wound. Rescuers administered first aid before rushing him to a hospital. He remains in a critical condition.

A second damaged vehicle, a red Honda ADV350 motorcycle, was found nearby. Its rider, a 35 year old foreign man, Mikel Francisco Ballel, reported to be British despite the Spanish-sounding name, sustained a head injury, while a Thai woman accompanying him suffered a minor injury.

The woman informed the rescue team that both she and Ballel had consumed alcohol before the journey and that Ballel had also used cannabis recreationally. She admitted that Ballel was travelling at a very high speed, which led to the accident.

A witness told police that the foreign man was riding at high speed since the Southern Pattaya Intersection, which is approximately 4.5 kilometres from the accident scene.

However, police have not yet filed any legal charges or issued punishment against the foreign rider. Further investigation, including a review of CCTV footage, is underway before the case can be concluded.

In a related incident two weeks ago, another foreign man, whose identity was not reported, crashed his grey Honda PCX motorcycle into the sidecar motorcycle of two Thai food vendors in Soi Boon Kanchanaram Temple in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya.

The female vendor was injured, and the sidecar motorcycle, along with food and cooking equipment, was damaged. The foreign rider also sustained a head injury.

The husband of the injured vendor told police that the foreign man attempted to overtake a sedan but lost control of his motorcycle, resulting in the crash. No details have been provided regarding the legal consequences for the foreign rider.