Phuket Civil Defense Volunteer dead at the wheel

PHUKET: A Phuket City Civil Defense Volunteer died at the wheel of his car yesterday, possibly even before he crashed the car into a metalworks shop in Chalong at 3am.

Police at the scene suspect the driver, Apinun “Nun” Chaibandit, 48, suffered a heart attack just before the crash.

The shop workers escaped harm by jumping out of the way as the car came towards them, police said.

A Chalong Police investigation team and Phuket Ruamjai Kupai Foundation workers attended the incident and found a silver Toyota Vios buried in the front of the workshop with the driver still in the vehicle.

Police officers, seeing no visible injuries, attempted to rouse the driver with no success. However, an examination by rescue workers revealed that Mr Apinun was dead.

Police Captain Attawat Suwannarat, leading the investigation, said, “When we checked, we found no physical injury, no bleeding, and his neck wasn’t broken. He was still in the driver’s seat wearing a safety belt. So I think the cause of death might have been a heart attack.”

“Mr Apinun was a Phuket City Civil Defense Volunteer who lived at the Country Home housing development in Chalong. He was driving home when the accident occurred,” said Pol Capt Attawat.

“Four workers in the shop said they saw the car go out of control and head toward them. They jumped just before the car crashed into the shop,” he added.

Mr Apinun’s body was transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination.

“The doctor’s report I received puts the cause of death as ‘unknown’. His family doesn’t want an autopsy performed, as they know he had a pre-existing heart condition. I believe he was dead before the car even crashed into the shop,” said Pol Capt Attawat.

— Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai