Accident Senior Police Officer Drives Against Traffic, Kills 64-Year-Old Woman in Ratchaburi Crash

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A senior police officer is under investigation after allegedly driving against the flow of traffic and fatally crashing into a 64-year-old woman on a motorcycle in Ban Pong district. The incident occurred around 08:00, on 26 June along Songphon Road in Nong Or Subdistrict, Ratchaburi.

 

The victim, identified as Ms. Kai, was critically injured and later pronounced dead at Ban Pong Hospital. She had been riding a Honda Spacy i motorcycle, which was left mangled at the scene. Police identified the driver of the black-grey Honda HR-V involved in the collision as Pol. Lt. Col. Chaiwat Khunchaiwatthana, a Special Operations Inspector with the Provincial Police Region 7 Investigation Division. He sustained head and chest injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment at the same hospital.

 

Witnesses reported that the officer was initially driving slowly on the wrong side of the road, creating confusion among oncoming motorists. When traffic at a nearby intersection was halted by a red light, the vehicle then accelerated and struck the victim’s motorcycle head-on. The crash was caught on camera by another driver.

 

 

One witness, Mr. Jay, said he initially thought the driver might be a foreigner unfamiliar with Thai traffic laws but later learned the driver was Thai. “It caused chaos on the road,” he said. “And then it turned into tragedy.”

 

The victim’s niece, Ms. May, expressed her heartbreak upon recognising her aunt in the widely circulated video. She said Ms. Kai had just dropped her son off at work and was heading home at the time of the crash. “She was the backbone of our family,” Ms. May said, noting her aunt had been caring for the household since the passing of her husband two years ago.

 

Ms. May also issued a plea to drivers under the influence: “If you’re not sober, just stay home. Don’t destroy someone else’s life.”

 

Ban Pong police chief Pol. Col. Kobchok Lektrakun confirmed that a blood alcohol test was conducted on Pol. Lt. Col. Chaiwat and the results are currently pending. “We will conduct a thorough investigation and question the officer once he is medically fit,” he said.

 

Police have initially charged the officer with reckless driving causing death. If the blood test confirms alcohol intoxication, a further charge of driving under the influence will be added.

 

Authorities have pledged a fair and transparent investigation, assuring the public that justice will be served for both parties involved.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-06-27

 

 

[bkk6060]

Negligent manslaughter should go to prison.

[daveAustin]

With the current focus on road safety, targeting motorcyclists, persistently checking licenses etc, this perp should absolutely be made an example of. Guessing he was too ‘important’ to wait in regular traffic and tried to short cut between lights. 

[Jim Blue]

Noticed that Thai's often speed when driving the wrong side. Western people tend to carefully  crawl along...just in case  ..

[JimHuaHin]

The law-breaking police force.

 

What a big joke Thailand has become,

[chuang]

Do you know who I am....