Turkish motorcyclist killed in crash with two vans in Phuket
A Turkish motorcyclist lost his life after colliding with two vans on Patak Road in Phuket in the early hours of today, January 28.
Officers from Karon Police Station investigated the accident at the Le Meridien Hotel intersection on Patak Road in the Karon district at around 12.35am. Rescuers from Kusol Dham Phuket Foundation also rushed to the scene in an attempt to save the victim, a 23 year old Turkish national Yunus Emre Acar
Police found Acar lying on the road wearing a motorcycle helmet. He suffered severe blood loss and was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was later transferred to Patong Hospital for an autopsy.
Nearby, officers found Acar’s Honda motorcycle bearing Phuket registration plate 1กม 6573. The vehicle was completely wrecked, with broken parts scattered across the road.
Two damaged vans were also found at the scene. The first was a silver-bronze Toyota van with damage to its front bumper, driven by a 58 year old Thai man, Prawit Songnasuek. The second was another silver-bronze Toyota van with front-end damage, driven by a 33 year old Thai man named Praiwan Bamrungyard.
Initial investigations and questioning indicated that the Turkish motorcyclist was making a right turn at the intersection when he collided with the two vans.
Police said they will review available CCTV footage from the area and conduct further questioning of both van drivers before concluding the case.
Another serious motorcycle accident involving a foreigner was reported last month, after a Belgian motorcyclist shared his story publicly and launched a fundraising campaign to cover his medical expenses in Thailand.
The Belgian man said he was critically injured after another motorcycle crashed into him while he was parked. He later claimed that he was deemed at fault in the incident, leading his insurance company to refuse coverage and forcing him to seek public assistance.
In December last year, a Thai man also sought justice after a traffic dispute with a foreign motorcyclist in Phuket escalated into violence. The foreign rider allegedly punched the Thai man in the face before fleeing the scene. No update on legal proceedings in that case has been reported.
