Two dead in Phuket as motorbike swerves to avoid fallen power pole

PHUKET: Two men died and one was seriously injured in Phuket this morning in a single-vehicle motorbike crash after the driver swerved to avoid a utility pole blocking the road in Mai Khao.

Tah Chat Chai Police received the report at about 5am and arrived at the scene, about 100 meters from the Holiday Inn hotel, along with Kusoldharm rescue workers, Thalang Hospital officers and Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) officers.

At the scene, the rescue workers found Nimit Saengo, 21, dead and two injured men.

Nearby was a white Honda Dream motorbike that had crashed into a short retaining wall.

The two injured men, Surat Inthapla, 32, and Surapong Kaewthavorn, 23, were rushed to Thalang Hospital. Mr Surapong, the driver, died en route.

Mr Surat was later transferred to the better equipped Vachira Hospital Phuket due to the seriousness of his injuries.

An initial police investigation revealed that all three men worked for the Mai Khao Dream Company, which operates the Maikhao Dream Villa Resort & Spa.

The men were returning to a staff dormitory at the time of the accident.

Rescue workers noted that none of the men had been wearing helmets.

— Thawit Bilabdullar