Accident Illegal Migrant Transport Pickup Drives Wrong Way, Crashes in Songkhla, 9 Injured

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of kaoded.

 

A serious road crash occurred late on the night of 9 June in Sadao District, Songkhla Province, involving a pickup truck illegally transporting migrant workers from Myanmar. The vehicle, which was travelling against the flow of traffic, collided head-on with a white Mazda sedan, leaving a total of nine people injured.

 

The incident took place at approximately 23:00 on Kanchanawanit Road, near the entrance to Ban Pad Roi Rai in Tambon Sadao. Police Colonel Surachit Phetchajom, Superintendent of Sadao Police Station, was notified of the collision and arrived at the scene with investigating officers, emergency medical responders from several local rescue foundations, and border security units, including infantry troops and Border Patrol Police.

 

At the crash site, a bronze Toyota Vigo pickup was found severely damaged, its front end buried against a high-voltage utility pole off the road. The right side of the vehicle was heavily crushed. Seven Myanmar nationals, believed to be undocumented migrant workers, were found inside the vehicle, all suffering from injuries and unable to communicate in Thai. Their condition prompted immediate emergency treatment before they were transferred to nearby hospitals.

The driver of the pickup managed to flee the scene during the chaos before authorities arrived. A carryboy canopy from the pickup had detached and was found nearby.

 

Also involved in the crash was a white Mazda sedan with Yala registration plates. Two Thai nationals in the car sustained injuries and were assisted out of the vehicle by bystanders. Their vehicle had been travelling normally when it was struck by the pickup, which had emerged from a side street, driving against oncoming traffic. The impact caused the Mazda to skid off the road and crash into a water pipe, which burst as a result.

 

Witnesses reported that the pickup exited a nearby alley at high speed, travelling in the wrong direction. As it approached a U-turn, it lost control and slammed into the oncoming sedan before overturning.

 

Emergency services transported the injured to Sadao Hospital and Padang Besar Hospital. Police have launched a manhunt for the fugitive driver, who may face multiple charges, including reckless driving, transporting illegal migrants, and fleeing the scene of an accident.

 

Authorities continue to investigate the incident and work to identify the driver, while also addressing the broader issue of migrant smuggling in the border province.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Kaoded 2025-06-11

 

 

 

[Stocky]

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Seven Myanmar nationals, believed to be undocumented migrant workers, were found inside the vehicle, all suffering from injuries and unable to communicate in Thai.

Poor sods they almost got to the Malaysian border. Now they'll get sent home, no refund from the people smugglers, and if the money was borrowed they'll still need to pay it back - but now without that job in Malaysia.