British man killed in triple vehicle collision in Rawai, Phuket
Tragedy struck in Rawai, Phuket, when a fatal collision involving three vehicles claimed the life of a British man in the early morning hours yesterday, February 15. The incident occurred outside the Patak Road branch of a local 7-Eleven store, according to local police sources.
The scene was first attended by Police Lieutenant Colonel Retired Somrak from Chalong Police Station who received notification of the accident around 5.10am. Upon arrival, he discovered a grisly scene, with three vehicles involved in a devastating collision.
The first vehicle was a heavily damaged Isuzu pickup truck, the front right bumper and windshield bearing the brunt of the collision. The vehicle, which carried a Bangkok license plate, was driven by a 27 year old man named Hakam Yuso, reported The Phuket News.
The second vehicle involved was a grey Toyota minivan registered in Phuket, which bore damage to its front bumper. The vehicle was driven by 49 year old Suradet Sawangsri.
The third vehicle was a Honda motorcycle, driven by a British man who, tragically, did not survive the accident. The man’s name has been withheld pending notification of his family.
Local CCTV footage was used to piece together the sequence of events leading to the fatal accident. Initial investigations revealed that the British man was travelling from Kata Beach towards the Chalong circle when he shifted lanes, resulting in a collision with Yuso’s oncoming vehicle.
The impact sent the British man and his bike careening into Sawangsri’s Toyota van, which was parked in a designated zone outside the convenience store.
An emergency crew arrived shortly after the incident, only to confirm the worst: the British man had died at the scene. His body was later transported to Vachira Hospital, where a post-mortem examination is scheduled to take place.
In related news, on Monday a Phuket tuk tuk driver in the bustling Patong district found himself on the wrong side of the law when he was slapped with a fine. The tuk tuk driver’s offence? Allowing a tourist to dance atop his vehicle while it was caught in the snarl of traffic on Patong Beach Road.
The incident, captured in a video which quickly circulated on social media, led to the driver, Yongyut Hasan, facing punitive action.
