American hotel worker dies in tragic Phuket road accident
A tragic event unfolded on the streets of Phuket last night as a 59 year old American man, an employee of a renowned hotel in the northern region of the island, lost his life in a devastating road accident. The mishap took place on Thepkrasattri Road, a major thoroughfare in the area, where the man was crushed by an enormous truck.
Lieutenant Colonel Sornthip Chukaew of the Tha Chatchai Police today, January 12, confirmed that the truck driver had turned himself in to the authorities. The truck, a 10-wheeled Isuzu registered in Surat Thani, was driven by a 32 year old man named Ritthikrai Chumthong, who now faces charges of causing death through reckless driving.
The accident was reported to Lt. Col. Sornthip at around 7.30pm. The incident occurred on the southbound lane of Thepkrasattri Road, near the entrance to Soi Luan-In in Moo 1, Mai Khao. Following the report, police officers, rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation, and staff from the Mai Khao Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) swiftly arrived at the site.
Upon their arrival, they discovered the man’s lifeless body on the road. The severity of his injuries and head trauma indicated that he had died on the spot. His body was subsequently transported to Thalang Hospital.
According to the police, the man had been employed at a Mai Khao hotel for over a decade. He was heading towards Phuket Town after finishing his work shift when a truck emerged from a side street and cut him off. Unable to dodge the truck, the man’s gold-coloured Suzuki motorbike crashed into the side of the vehicle, causing him to be thrown under its wheels. Eyewitnesses claim that the truck did not stop after the accident.
In their ongoing investigation, the police are collaborating with Mai Khao OrBorTor to obtain any CCTV footage that might assist them in piecing together the events leading up to the road accident. They hope that this will aid them in their pursuit of legal action against the truck driver, reported Phuket News.
The identity of the American man has been kept confidential, pending confirmation that his next of kin have been notified about this unfortunate incident.
