4 Swedes, 1 Thai dead in horror smash near Phuket

PHUKET: Two young Swedish couples and their Thai driver were killed instantly yesterday morning when their rented car was hit head-on by a six-wheel refrigerator truck in Takua Thung District, Phang Nga.

The dead were identified by their ID cards as:

Elin Marita Hedbris, 21
Frida Madeleine Falk, 22
Anders Tobias Larsson, 22
Johan Olof Nikolas Svensson, 22
Wichit Phromluang, 26, from Udon Thani

According to Swedish media reports, the two couples were from the town of Varberg and were on a three-week holiday. They had been staying in Patong.

Swedish consular staff are aware of the crash and will assist the families of the victims.

The bodies of all five victims were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital.

According to reports, all five were killed instantly when the Toyota compact car they were riding in was hit head on by a six-wheel refrigerator truck owned by a fish transport firm Chotepatama Company.

Takua Thung District Police are now hunting the driver, who fled the scene.

The accident happened on the wide stretch of bypass road that runs behind the Thung Pho School in Khok Kloy subdistrict.

According to one report the Swedes were on their way to the popular diving destination of Koh Tao, part of Chumphon Province, when the crash occurred.

It was the worst mass casualty event involving Swedes in Thailand since the 2004 tsunami disaster.

— Wichai Witthawat