High-speed pile-up brings Phuket traffic to standstill

PHUKET: A pickup truck slid out of control on Chao Fa West Road in Wichit this morning, slamming head-on into another pickup truck and causing a multi-car pile-up on one of Phuket’s busy main roads to the south of the island.

Eye-witness Teerachai Waiyakarn told the Phuket Gazette that at about 9:30am a white Isuzu D-Max pickup truck with Songkhla license plates was heading southbound when it crossed the center line near the Wang Talang Duty Free store.

The pickup slammed into a silver-colored D-Max heading in the opposite direction, and another Isuzu D-Max – this one blue – slammed into the back of the silver-colored pickup.

The collision sent both the silver and blue pickup trucks into the roadside drainage ditch.

A motorbike travelling slammed into fray, ending up jammed under the silver pickup.

The motorbike driver was unconscious and the driver of the white D-Max pickup suffered a head injury. Both were rushed to hospital by Phuket Ruamjai foundation rescue workers.

Motorists fore and aft of the initial collision failed to avoid the vehicles spinning out of control. Among the collateral damage was a Mercedes-Benz sports sedan still bearing red dealership license plates and a bronze-colored pickup truck.

— Chutharat Plerin