Tourist dies in head-on bike crash

KARON: An Australian youth was killed and a Swedish tourist hospitalized early yesterday morning when their motorcycles collided head-on near Le Meridien Phuket resort, on the road between Patong and Karon. Pol Lt Teerawat Liumsuwan of Chalong Police Station named the dead man as Simeth Julian, 18, of Melbourne. He said the Australian was riding a red Honda Dream toward Patong at about 80 kmh. Two friends, riding separate bikes, were following close behind. At around 3:30 am, on the hill above Le Meridien, Mr Julian’s bike collided with a black Suzuki chopper ridden by Mr Micael Hilmersson, a Swedish tourist headed toward Karon. Mr Julian died instantly in the collision. Mr Hilmersson was rushed to Patong Hospital and later to Bangkok Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town. He suffered injuries to his head and body, but is now reported in stable condition. The dead man’s two friends told police that they were about 50 meters behind him when the accident happened on a dark, steep, winding section of the road. Mr Julian arrived in Phuket from Bangkok the day before the accident. He was staying at the Peach Hill Hotel in Kata and was due to leave Phuket tomorrow. His body was collected from the Wachira Hospital morgue by Australian Embassy officials this afternoon.