Respected Labour Official Killed as Truck Crashes into Pickup at Police Checkpoint

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

Colleagues are mourning the loss of a senior government official after a lorry collided with his pickup truck near a police checkpoint in Kamphaeng Phet province.

The fatal collision occurred at approximately 23.15 on 26 April on the southbound lanes of Phaholyothin Road, in front of a tyre shop in Salokbat subdistrict, Khanu Woralaksaburi district. Police and rescue teams quickly arrived at the scene.

Authorities found a lorry transporting coal debris, registered in Prachuap Khiri Khan, had slammed into the back of a pickup truck registered in Nakhon Sawan. The collision claimed the life of Mr Somrat 58, a Senior Labour Academic with the Kamphaeng Phet Provincial Employment Office.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Mr Somrat had been driving his private vehicle from Mueang Kamphaeng Phet district towards Nakhon Sawan. Traffic had slowed as vehicles queued to pass through a police checkpoint operated by Khanu Woralaksaburi Police Station.

It is believed that the lorry, travelling behind Mr Somrat’s vehicle, failed to slow down in time and struck the rear of his pickup with considerable force, pushing it into another lorry ahead. Mr Somrat died at the scene.

The lorry driver, Mr Tawee  58, was taken into custody for questioning. Alcohol tests carried out at the scene confirmed that he was not under the influence.

Police are continuing their investigation into the exact cause of the collision.