Picture from responders.

 

An incident occurred at 23:05 on 25 December, when a 41-year-old construction worker fell from the back of a pickup truck and was fatally struck by a car. The incident occurred near the Keo Din highway rest area on Highway 7.

 

Police Lieutenant Nattaphol Rittirong, Deputy Inspector of Highway Patrol Unit 1, Station 8, received the report and immediately dispatched a team to the scene, accompanied by rescue volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya.

 

At the scene, authorities found the lifeless body of Mr. Vichu Simbida, a construction worker, lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the road. Rescue personnel and highway police cordoned off the area to prevent further crashes.

 

The vehicle involved was identified as a white Honda car driven by 23-year-old Mr. Suthipong Nantta. He told police that he had been driving behind a pickup truck and another car. Both vehicles in front swerved suddenly, and despite his efforts, he was unable to avoid hitting the victim. Suthipong promptly called authorities after the incident.

 

The victim’s employer, who was driving the pickup truck, stated that he had been transporting workers back to their accommodation. He was unaware that Mr. Vichu had fallen from the vehicle until he later learned of the fatal incident.

 

Police Lieutenant Nattaphol has announced plans to review CCTV footage to ensure fairness for all parties involved. Meanwhile, the victim’s body has been transported to Bang Lamung Hospital, where it will be held until family members arrange for collection.

 

Investigations are ongoing, with authorities working to clarify the sequence of events and determine accountability.

 

-- 2024-12-27

 

 

There was an effort to stop the carrying of passengers in pickup beds some years ago, but that seems to have been forgotten. Very common sight on the highways now, but ironically, these days they might well be wearing a safety hat. 

You just know that the family of the dead person would be after us for all we had if we hit someone that fell or jumped from the back of a pick-up !

39 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

There was an effort to stop the carrying of passengers in pickup beds some years ago, but that seems to have been forgotten. Very common sight on the highways now, but ironically, these days they might well be wearing a safety hat. 

I remember that, and did the Thai public not complain that it was picking on the lower classes, as that was their only means of getting the family around. So the authorities caved in and said ok then no more than six, and do not sit on the edge of the truck. 

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

There was an effort to stop the carrying of passengers in pickup beds some years ago, but that seems to have been forgotten. Very common sight on the highways now, but ironically, these days they might well be wearing a safety hat. 

Yip, totally agreed this is a idiotic as the no helmet situation here.....madness.

 

You see pick up beds filled with kids all over Thailand, not a good scene....

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

I remember that, and did the Thai public not complain that it was picking on the lower classes, as that was their only means of getting the family around. So the authorities caved in and said ok then no more than six, and do not sit on the edge of the truck. 

That is my recollection too...... 

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The victim’s employer, who was driving the pickup truck, stated that he had been transporting workers back to their accommodation. He was unaware that Mr. Vichu had fallen from the vehicle until he later learned of the fatal incident.

 

And none of the other workers thought to bang on the roof of the cab and tell the driver???

22 hours ago, jacko45k said:

There was an effort to stop the carrying of passengers in pickup beds some years ago, but that seems to have been forgotten. Very common sight on the highways now, but ironically, these days they might well be wearing a safety hat. 

I was thinking the same thing.... 

On 12/27/2024 at 6:56 AM, AhFarangJa said:

So the authorities caved in and said ok then no more than six,

Unless they're from Myanmar.

 

I saw must have been a dozen standing up in the back of a truck in Chiang Rai the other morning.

 

Everyone's gotta put food on their family. 🍜

 

50 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Unless they're from Myanmar.

 

I saw must have been a dozen standing up in the back of a truck in Chiang Rai the other morning.

 

Everyone's gotta put food on their family. 🍜

 

     You see this all the time on the Darkside of Pattaya, too.  There is a housing boom and tons of home construction going on all over.   Lots of pick-up trucks carrying the workers in the back--sometimes so many that they are standing, with nothing much to hold on to.  

Could at least there not be insistence that all pickups carrying passengers in the bed are fitted with enclosures like songtaews? 
 

This would reduce the risk of ejection of people during travel or collisions, whilst still allowing for materials to be carried as well as people.

I've always marveled at how many people get transported in the back of pickup trucks here, there are a dozen things that could go wrong that could cause injury or death.

 

Yet the listless, apathetic and completely useless Highway Patrol does nothing. 

On 12/27/2024 at 6:13 AM, jacko45k said:

There was an effort to stop the carrying of passengers in pickup beds some years ago, but that seems to have been forgotten. Very common sight on the highways now, but ironically, these days they might well be wearing a safety hat. 

Was this just not on the tolls? 

Sorry not any sympathy about this.

15 hours ago, PJ71 said:

Was this just not on the tolls? 

No I thought it more general than that. Elevated tolls did have some special rules though.