Drunk Driver Kills Waste Collector in Nakhon Phanom Crash

Picture courtesy of Amarin

A municipal waste collector was killed in the early hours of the morning after being struck and crushed by a speeding pickup truck, allegedly driven under the influence of alcohol. The victim’s body was torn in two upon impact.

The incident occurred at around 03:00 on 17 July, near a dormitory close to a shopping mall on the bypass road between Ban Noi Nong Khem and Ban Tha Khwai in the Nong Yat subdistrict of Mueang District, Nakhon Phanom.

CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment when a speeding pickup truck collided with a municipal waste truck that had stopped at the roadside while workers were collecting bins. Mr Kittirot “Piak” Nanta, 45, a municipal waste collector with Nakhon Phanom Municipality, was hit with such force that his body was severed at the waist. A second collector suffered minor injuries.

The pickup truck driver reportedly lost control after sideswiping a motorcycle, veered off the road and slammed into Mr Kittirot, pinning his severed body against the truck’s metal lift rail. The motorcyclist, identified only as “Wit”, 23, sustained hip and leg injuries, while the pickup driver, “Kai”, 46, was found with both legs broken and is receiving treatment at Nakhon Phanom Hospital. He is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, but police are awaiting medical confirmation of testing.

The driver of the waste truck, Mr Watcharin, 47, told reporters that he had pulled over to allow three workers to collect bins when the incident occurred. He described hearing a loud crash before realising Mr Kittirot had been struck and killed instantly.

Police and forensic officers from Nakhon Phanom are continuing their investigation, with formal questioning of the involved parties to take place once they are physically and emotionally able.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Amarin 2025-07-18