Bangkok: A devastating accident occurred on the Khao Peep-Khao Thalu road in Sawi district, Chumphon province, when a speeding pickup truck lost control amidst heavy rain and collided with another vehicle, leading to six deaths, including a two-year-old child, and injuring three others. The tragic incident unfolded as the pickup truck carrying relatives, who were returning from harvesting durian, spun out of control and collided head-on with another pickup truck carrying an elderly couple traveling in the opposite direction.
According to Thai News Agency, police from Na Sak Police Station, along with rescue workers, promptly responded to the scene at 12:30 PM. The collision involved a gray single-cab pickup truck with Bangkok license plates, which was severely damaged, especially on the front left side. The truck was found parked in the left lane, facing the Khao Peep exit. Inside, the driver, Mr. Yosawat, 22, and his wife, Ms. Pimkanok, 24, were trapped and seriously injured. Rescue workers used hydraulic cutters to extricate them from the wreckage.
The other vehicle, a green half-cab pickup truck with Chumphon license plates, had plunged into a roadside ditch. The front of this vehicle was also severely damaged, and the bodies of the driver, Mr. Banjong, 65, and Mrs. Jirawan, 60, were found trapped inside. Rescuers worked to extricate their bodies and rushed them to Sawi Hospital. Mr. Sompongsak, 18, was found injured at the scene.
In a tragic scene, four more bodies were discovered in different locations around the accident site. They were identified as Ms. Sumintra, 23; Miss Nalinipha, the two-year-old daughter of Mr. Yosawat; Ms. Paphawarin, 18; and Mr. Natthachai, 22. All suffered fatal injuries, including broken bones and necks. The victims were found in various locations, including a puddle and entangled in barbed wire, highlighting the force of the collision.
Eyewitnesses recounted that they were driving in the rain behind the elderly couple when the opposite direction's pickup truck lost control, leading to the catastrophic collision. Relatives of the deceased mentioned that Mr. Yosawat and his family were returning from helping a relative with the durian harvest. As the rain poured, Mr. Yosawat likely accelerated to protect those in the truck bed, contributing to the loss of control on a right-hand curve.
Police have documented the scene and are preparing to question Mr. Yosawat to advance the investigation and take appropriate legal actions.