Carnage in South Pattaya as "epileptic" man plows into people/bikes

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Breaking: Carnage in South Pattaya as "epileptic" man plows into people/bikes

 

Image: Channel 3

 

Two people are dead and more than a dozen were injured - two seriously - after a pick-up driven by an epileptic man plowed into crowds and motorcycles on a busy South Pattaya Road.

 

Channel 3 reported that most of the victims were students and parents after the incident on South Pattaya Road by the Com Pattaya building.

 

They said that debris from ten motorcycles was spread over a 200 meter area.

 

Fifteen people were injured - two seriously - and two were dead.

 

The driver in the smashed up black Isuzu pick-up was reportedly saved by police after he was attacked by an angry mob.

 

He said he had no recollection of what happened - he recovered his senses after passing out to see what he had caused.

 

He told police he was an epileptic.

 

Outraged posters on Facebook were questioning how a person suffering from epilepsy could be driving. 

 

The victims have yet to be named. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-12-04

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Two killed, 15 injured in Pattaya road accident

 

A pickup driver lost control of his vehicle in Pattaya on Monday morning, causing it to plough into 10 motorcycles, killing two people and injuring 15 others.

 

Police said the accident happened at 7am on South Pattaya Road in front of the Tuk Com computer shopping mall. The pickup, driven by Akkaradej Udomrat, 44, suddenly veered out of its lane and collided with a line of motorcycles on the opposite side of the road. 

 

Two motorcyclists died at the scene while 15 others were injured. Pol Lt Col Suwat Chotechuang, traffic inspector at Pattaya police station, said Akkaradej had tested negative to alcohol use.

 

Akkaradej himself said he had lost control of his vehicle after suffering an epileptic seizure.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30333130

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-04

[darksidedog]

I saw the carnage on Facebook earlier and he was very lucky that the cops protected him from a very serious beating. I hope he can provide good evidence of his medical condition, because that should be a murder charge.

[striderman]

that is not by tukom. it's at the lights at junction of south pattaya rd and third rd by the walkabout pub

[z42]

There is a video of the pickup driver back at the nick. He blew 0 on the breathalyser machine.

Dreadful crash which if the driver's account is to be believed makes it a horrendously unfortunate incident as epilepsy isn't necessarily a condition which bars people outright from driving, however i stand to be corrected there.

Thoughts are with the families of the deceased and injured

[ezzra]

Indeed very unfortunate event, however, the onus is on the driver

who should have known and be mindful of his ailments and affliction

and take due care to medicate himself properly as people with epilipsy

can function normally providing they take their medications as prescribed.... 

[helloagain]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

I saw the carnage on Facebook earlier and he was very lucky that the cops protected him from a very serious beating. I hope he can provide good evidence of his medical condition, because that should be a murder charge.

If he does have it he can not drive therefor no insurance. 2 dead jail for life

[wombat]

That is so sad...RIP people

[sammieuk1]

Outraged posters on Facebook were questioning how a person suffering from epilepsy could be driving while the rest of us were questioning  how any Thai's should be driving at all .

Edited December 4, 2017 by sammieuk1

[petertucker48]

12 minutes ago, Borzandy said:

because he has money.

The guy with epilepsy may have been taking medication for 10/20 Years with no problems.

Before making stupid remarks please look the condition and understand there are variations to the illness.

[thailand49]

R.I.P. 

Sadly, the system is really the blame, we will never know the condition of this driver especially through the news. For those of us that have gone through getting a license pay the money and you get a slip of paper at a local Thai client. There is no tracking system for history of drivers all done locally hand written in a log book?

Just came back from Tukcom,  Sukhumvit and Pattaya Tai and heavy presents of police making a show which is after the fact. 

[SGD]

What percentage of epileptic drivers is acceptable ? 

 

What percentage of drunk drivers is acceptable ?

 

What percentage of drugged up drivers is acceptable ?

 

Same same, no different.

[brewsterbudgen]

• Epileptics can drive as long as their epilepsy is controlled.
• 0% of drunks should drive
• 0% of drugged up people should drive.

Hope this helps.

[malcoml]

There is a lot of damage to that pick up.

 

If he had a fit you would expect he would take his foot off the accelerator.

 

How fast was he going....

[wvavin]

Manslaughter charge at least but in Thailand, he will definitely walk out of the court a free man if he has money to distribute.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Outraged posters on Facebook were questioning how a person suffering from epilepsy could be driving. 

They should consider how they themselves qualified to get a driving license or otherwise behind the wheel.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, striderman said:

that is not by tukom. it's at the lights at junction of south pattaya rd and third rd by the walkabout pub

Close enough for the usual suspects.

[NanLaew]

10 minutes ago, malcoml said:

If he had a fit you would expect he would take his foot off the accelerator.

Like drivers that fall asleep at the wheel?

[Gandtee]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I saw the carnage on Facebook earlier and he was very lucky that the cops protected him from a very serious beating. I hope he can provide good evidence of his medical condition, because that should be a murder charge.

This is the reason why Thai drivers flee the scene.

[robertthebruce]

EpIlectic or not...

 

Carnage everyday....no change here.

 

Sad as it is....

 

its s the truth...as we all know....

 

”Demolition Derby”.....

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed

[NextStationBangkok]

All self driving car developers are scared about human errors like this. That is biggest challenge of Artificial Intelligence developers.

[Ron19]

A troll post and answer to it have been removed

[dotpoom]

2 hours ago, striderman said:

that is not by tukom. it's at the lights at junction of south pattaya rd and third rd by the walkabout pub

That's very important you brought that to our attention?

[Golden Triangle]

Admittedly I don't know the laws in Thailand regarding Epilepsy & driving but back in the UK my SiL has this condition and has been driving for many many years.

[glasswort]

"Outraged posters on Facebook were questioning how a person suffering from epilepsy could be driving". 

 

Are there in fact any laws in Thailand banning those suffering from epilepsy .from driving? I somehow doubt it.

[SoulWater]

The guy with epilepsy may have been taking medication for 10/20 Years with no problems.
Before making stupid remarks please look the condition and understand there are variations to the illness.

Don't care two people dead he should not be on the roads and should be behind bars now

[Mangkhut]

1 hour ago, petertucker48 said:

The guy with epilepsy may have been taking medication for 10/20 Years with no problems.

Before making stupid remarks please look the condition and understand there are variations to the illness.

Well - he had certainly had an incident and problems with his epilephsy now. 

If you have uncontrolable epilephsy you should certainly not be allowed to drive a vehicle. 

[anfh]

In Uk   If Epileptic, you can drive provided you have been “fit free “ for a year.

not sure about here. 

But considering the carnage here and the location, just how fast was he going at the time etc, and although alcohol free, was he tested for any drugs etc ? 

[secosteve]

3 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I saw the carnage on Facebook earlier and he was very lucky that the cops protected him from a very serious beating. I hope he can provide good evidence of his medical condition, because that should be a murder charge.

You need intent for murder, manslaughter more appropriate, but in Thai law who knows