Car Dealer Employee Dies in Van Crash in Buriram

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture from responders.

 

An incident occurred on the morning of 14 January when a van overturned, killing a 24-year-old man instantly. The incident took place at around 07:00 on a four-lane road near Ban Bua Temple in Ban Bua Subdistrict, Mueang District, Buriram Province.

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Pornchai Bamrungsin, Deputy Inspector of Mueang Buriram Police Station, received the report and coordinated with the Sawang Janyatham Rescue Unit and Ban Bua Municipality Emergency Services to investigate the scene.

 

At the site, a silver Toyota van (registration number from Rayong) was found overturned on the central reservation of the Nang Rong-Buriram inbound road. Two light poles were damaged, and the driver, identified as Mr. Athiwat Kankanram, 24, from Prakhieab Subdistrict, Ku Muang District, Buriram, was found lifeless near the van. He had sustained a severe head injury and died at the scene.

 

Mr. Phanuwat Tuakphan, 30, from Tha Sawang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Surin, was a passenger in the van and recounted the events leading up to the crash. He stated that he, the deceased, and another team member had been instructed by their employer, a car dealership owner in Satuek District, Buriram, to retrieve two vans from Chonburi. One van was operational, while the other required towing.

 

The team departed Buriram on the evening of 13 January, arriving in Chonburi at around 01:00 on 14 January. After securing the non-operational van onto a tow truck, Mr. Athiwat drove the second van while Mr. Phanuwat rested in the back seat.

 

According to Mr. Phanuwat, he was asleep and unaware of the crash until he was jolted awake by a loud impact and the van rolling over. When the vehicle came to a stop, he crawled out and discovered Mr. Athiwat lying outside the van, bleeding heavily. Emergency services arrived shortly afterwards.

 

Preliminary investigations suggest that fatigue may have been a factor, as Mr. Athiwat had not slept the previous night and is believed to have dozed off at the wheel. Additionally, he was not wearing a seatbelt, which may have caused him to be ejected from the vehicle upon impact.

 

Authorities have launched a detailed investigation to confirm the exact cause of the crash.

 

-- 2025-01-15