Phuket hotelier dies in sidewalk crash

PHUKET: A 54-year-old Swedish hotelier died after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident early Tuesday morning in Patong.

Vachira Phuket Hospital identified the victim as Lars-Goran Salomonsson, who owned the Lars-Lita guest-house and restaurant in Patong with his wife, Lita.

After hearing the sound of a loud crash around dawn, witnesses found Mr Salmonsson lying in a pool of blood on the footpath of Soi Haad Patong near the Club Andaman Beach Resort.

Nearby was a broken concrete bench. His Honda Phantom motorcycle was lying in the road, witnesses told the Phuket Gazette.

“He was bleeding a lot from his head. We tried to help him and tell him to breathe because he seemed to be losing consciousness. Finally he started breathing,” one witness told the Gazette.

Mrs Lita told the Gazette that another witness said that her husband was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

“The witness said that as my husband was driving his motorcycle, a fast-moving van approached from behind and passed him closely. He probably saw the van in his mirror and was frightened and quickly swerved to the right causing his foot peg to hit the curb,” Mrs Lita said.

The witness said this caused Mr Salomonsson’s bike to be tossed, throwing him into a concrete bench and onto the footpath, she said.

Kusoldharm Rescue workers rushed Mr Salomonsson to Patong Hospital, from where he was transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

Mr Salmonsson died at about 11:30am that day, Vachira Phuket Hospital’s International Department told the Gazette.

“Before the accident, we were making menus for our new Mexican restaurant. While I was doing the graphics for the menus, he had nothing to do so he went out to meet his friend,” Mrs Lita said.

“I was waiting for him until 3:30am, so I thought he probably went to sleep at another one of our places. When I was informed of his death, I was in shock,” Mrs Solomonsson said.

His family in Sweden and Thailand have been notified of his death, the Swedish Embassy confirmed to the Gazette.

Mrs Solomonsson said she is waiting to hear from her late husband’s children before making funeral arrangements.

The body is being stored at Vachira Phuket Hospital.

— Atchaa Khamlo