Elderly couple die as car is submerged in klong - 94 year old man was behind the wheel

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported on the death of elderly grandparents who slowly cut in front of another vehicle and disappeared under the waters of a klong in Pathum Thani, north of the Thai capital Bangkok.

 

The driver was 94, his wife 79. They had just been to their orchard  where they paid a grass-cutter.

 

Police and Ruam Katanyu rescue services with diving equipment  were called to Soi Suthiphan in Klong 6 where they found lots of people gawking.

 

They pointed to an area where a car had disappeared under the surface of the canal.

 

Inside a Mitsubishi Galant Sigma - a car from the 1980s - they found Wirot Naksawat, 94, in the driver's seat and his wife and passenger Ngamphen, 79.

 

They were both already dead.

 

Witness Nutch Jairak, 38, said she was driving home with her partner when they saw the car slowly cut in front of them at the end of the soi and enter the canal.

 

She stopped and her partner rushed to help but despite the assistance of other motorists the car had already been submerged and there was nothing they could do except call rescue and police. 

 

Sorapong Bunya, 34, said he was employed by the couple to cut grass at their orchard close by.

 

They would come now and again and were there to pay him for his services. 

 

He said that the 94 year old was driving when they left. 

 

An autopsy is taking place at Thammasat Chalerm Prakiat hospital. 

 

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[Denim]

Very sad but at least they went together.

[Purdey]

Age doesn't matter. It is mental acuity that old people need to drive.

[giddyup]

According to my Thai partner it was a suicide pact.

[jaiyen]

Prince Philip was regularly driving in his 90's.  Then he got done for speeding and then had a crash before hanging up his keys.

[KannikaP]

12 minutes ago, giddyup said:

According to my Thai partner it was a suicide pact.

There are better ways to do it.

[steven100]

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

[Blavis]

The news on tv is saying the women was driving and was 79yrs old!?

IMO there should be limits though sadly.

[lopburi3]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

nside a Mitsubishi Galant Sigma - a car from the 1980s

Which likely had electric windows that would not operate under water.  In 80's Florida drivers were warned to carry glass breaker attached to steering column for such an event. 

 

But if truth in suicide post, and just paying worker might support that, can only send best wishes to them and any family.  Suicide is rare in Thailand but seems to be on the increase.

[Bim Smith]

Of course he should. He was only going 10km an hour. Just kidding. No he should not. Case closed. Next question.

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Which likely had electric windows that would not operate under water.  In 80's Florida drivers were warned to carry glass breaker attached to steering column for such an event. 

 

But if truth in suicide post, and just paying worker might support that, can only send best wishes to them and any family.  Suicide is rare in Thailand but seems to be on the increase.

I think that car may have had window winders. Still, a couple that elderly would not have been able to wind down windows in a submerged car until the air was gone. Nor would they have been able to wield any object with enough force to break window glass.

[Ralf001]

3 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Which likely had electric windows that would not operate under water.  In 80's Florida drivers were warned to carry glass breaker attached to steering column for such an event. 

 

But if truth in suicide post, and just paying worker might support that, can only send best wishes to them and any family.  Suicide is rare in Thailand but seems to be on the increase.

Mid 80's Sigma in Aus..... Only very top spec got electric windows, like most if not all vehicles of that era.

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Mid 80's Sigma in Aus..... Only very top spec got electric windows, like most if not all vehicles of that era.

Well my 1985 Subaru was not top spec in PI but it had electric windows when imported from Japan.  But you may well be right for normal imports to Thailand.  In Florida always had a spring-loaded center punch taped to steering column.  Cheap and effective.

[Liverpool Lou]

36 minutes ago, steven100 said:

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

He did.

[Liverpool Lou]

28 minutes ago, apetryxx said:

Depends on the person. Should Joe Biden be driving a car at 80? I think not.

Or riding a bike?

[Rimmer]

Troll post and replies removed

[Matrosen]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

He did! 

[Khmer Surin]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

According to my Thai partner it was a suicide pact.

“Witness Nutch Jairak, 38, said she was driving home with her partner when they saw the car slowly cut in front of them at the end of the soi and enter the canal.”

 

It sure sounds like that to me as well?

[steven100]

16 minutes ago, Matrosen said:

He did! 

your late ....   someone already used that line ...

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

An autopsy is taking place at Thammasat Chalerm Prakiat hospital. 

This may shed some light on the accident - planned or not! Maybe the elderly gentleman was taken ill and lost control. Very sad. RIP elderly couple.

[kokesaat]

So, my Thai isn't much special, but นางงามเพ็ญ นาคสวัสดิ์ อายุ 79 ปี นั่งอยู่เบาะคนขับ และนายวิโรจน์ นาคสวัสดิ์ อายุ 94 ปี สามีนั่งเบาะข้างคนขับ tells me that the woman was in the driver's seat and the man was in the seat next to the driver.

 

[steven100]

did the poor old guy suffer some attack ?  or did he deliberately drive ahead  ?

[Stevemercer]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

Most road fatalities are caused by young men 18 - 25 years old. Maybe this high risk group should be banned from driving?

 

[renaissanc]

The question is very valid for foreigners who have a Retirement or Marriage visa. Immigration insists that we appear in person for a one-year-at-a-time visa renewal. I have to drive 140 kms. there and back four times, incl. to "fung pon". I'm 66 now and it's not a problem. But what about when I'm 74, 84, or 94? I'll probably still have to drive all that way to Immigration and back four times a year. I hope that Immigration discovers one day that we're in the 21st century.

[steven100]

21 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

This may shed some light on the accident - planned or not! Maybe the elderly gentleman was taken ill and lost control. Very sad. RIP elderly couple.

it's not very sad Bill,  94 is a pretty good innings ' 

[mberbae]

Acuity, perhaps, had Nothing to do with it.

It could well have been a heart attack, which can

happen at any age.

[cardinalblue]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

He did…

[steven100]

11 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

He did…

that line already used ....

[Burma Bill]

31 minutes ago, steven100 said:

it's not very sad Bill,  94 is a pretty good innings ' 

Yes indeed, just another 16 years to go for me.

[malt25]

Age is just a number. I know 50 year olds who shouldn't be driving, especially here in LOS. Maybe a reg like in Australia is needed. After 75 need a medical cert is required. But no point really. Road rules are NEVER enforced here.