Picture courtesy of SiamChon

 

A Chinese driver’s sudden left turn caused a fatal collision on Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya on 5 October 2025, killing one motorcyclist and injuring two others. Police Lieutenant Sakayaphap Chaidech, Deputy Investigator at Pattaya City Police Station, received the accident report at around 12:00 and coordinated rescue teams from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan to the scene near Soi 42.

 

At the crash site, officers found three victims. The first was a male Bolt motorcycle taxi rider operating a black Honda Click, who suffered abrasions. His passenger, an Indian national, also sustained minor injuries. Both were treated at the scene and later taken to Hospital for further care.

 

The third victim, identified as 34-year-old Mr. Prakasit Suwannamee, was riding a black Royal Enfield bike. He had suffered a deep neck wound and a broken collarbone. Rescue workers performed CPR at the scene, but were unable to save his life.

 

Nearby, police found a Honda car with damage to its left door. The driver, Mr. Chang, a 53-year-old Chinese national, remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. He did not attempt to flee and provided his account of the crash to investigators.

 

Eyewitnesses said the car had been travelling from South Pattaya and attempted to turn left into Soi Sukhumvit–Pattaya 42 while in the second lane. The Royal Enfield was moving straight at high speed and was unable to brake in time, crashing directly into the left side of the car. The bolt rider also struck the car, with the impact throwing the motorcyclists from their bikes, resulting in one fatality and two injuries.

 

Police photographed the scene and are reviewing nearby CCTV footage to confirm the sequence of events. Investigators will use this evidence to determine legal responsibility and proceed with any necessary charges against the driver.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• One Thai motorcyclist died and two others were injured in the Pattaya collision.

• The Chinese driver reportedly turned left from the wrong lane, causing the crash.

• Police are reviewing CCTV evidence before proceeding with legal action.

 

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  Adapted by Asean Now from SiamChon 2025-10-06

 

 

 

 

 

don't  drink and drive - you might kill someone  - preferably yourself 

9 times out of 10, there's a motorcycle involved in these accidents

 

Speed kills.  Sounds like he was also doing it in the far left lane, another bad idea.

 

My advice is to always try drive like Thai women, not Thai men.  First group tends to drive slower and more defensive.  The other group is just the opposite.

5 minutes ago, shdmn said:

Speed kills.  Sounds like he was also doing it in the far left lane, another bad idea.

 

My advice is to always try drive like Thai women, not Thai men.  First group tends to drive slower and more defensive.  The other group is just the opposite.

The best advice is not to drive like anyone here and go by what you learned in the west, where there is a harder test to pass, and tickets given if you do anything wrong, unlike the lack of enforcement everyone knows about, and drives accordingly. Defensively, trusting no one, and staying in the middle lanes, letting the speeders pass, always using your mirrors.

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The Chinese driver reportedly turned left from the wrong lane

Can’t count the number of times have seen Chinese drivers do wrong lane stunts like this 

52 minutes ago, novacova said:

Can’t count the number of times have seen Chinese drivers do wrong lane stunts like this 

I am surprised you can see who is driving. Most of the time the windows seem so heavily tinted I cannot see if a male or female let alone nationality.....

 

Agreed that lots of drivers do this.

1 hour ago, smedly said:

don't  drink and drive - you might kill someone  - preferably yourself 

 

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

9 times out of 10, there's a motorcycle involved in these accidents

 

There was no mention of drink in the story; your comment is true but maybe irrelevant.  The 2nd comment fails to mention that 90% of traffic is motorbikes.

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

9 times out of 10, there's a motorcycle involved in these accidents

 

Well there are quite a lot of them here (double the number of cars), and undertaking is commonplace, as any car/truck driver will tell you.  And M/C  drivers are often kids, elderly , unqualified or not paying attention. 

Turning left  from any lane in Thailand is dangerous with Bikes undertaking when the right, & correct overtaking side is very clear

Happily Thai drivers never cause accidents like this..Of course only foreigners

This is how they drive in China, turn left from second  lane.  I've seen in person.   It's ridiculous  and when they go to other countries, as in this incident, this is what happens.   Failure is letting  them drive outside  China

Mainland China is right-hand drive. Some come here never driving left-hand and jump in a rent car.

Years ago there was this Chinese guy who made it from Phuket airport no further than the exit where he turned to the wrong lane and caused a heavy crash.

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

 

There was no mention of drink in the story; your comment is true but maybe irrelevant.  The 2nd comment fails to mention that 90% of traffic is motorbikes.

 

I doubt they thought it through that far.

Without casting blame, I'd point out that the Chinese guy with 4 wheels and seatbelts walked away injury free.  The riders on scooters?  One in the morgue and 2 in hospital.

 

Seems like a good cautionary tale.

 

 

19 hours ago, WEBBYB808 said:

This is how they drive in China, turn left from second  lane.  I've seen in person.   It's ridiculous  and when they go to other countries, as in this incident, this is what happens.   Failure is letting  them drive outside  China

Yes, well in China they drive on the other side of the road so not exactly the same issue, perhaps a cause.!

On 10/6/2025 at 6:50 AM, novacova said:

Can’t count the number of times have seen Chinese drivers do wrong lane stunts like this 

Thai drivers do same thing often. Maybe he was copying what he seen others doing. No police to enforce the road rules. Turn left from far right lane is a daily event here.

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, well in China they drive on the other side of the road so not exactly the same issue, perhaps a cause.!

Meaning their cars are designed with the driver's seat on the left side. But in Thailand the driver's seat is on the right side. Meaning if not very diligent a Chinese driver in Thailand may not see any vehicle to the left side of the car, especially cutting across a lane to the left side. 

 

22 hours ago, WEBBYB808 said:

This is how they drive in China, turn left from second  lane.  I've seen in person.   It's ridiculous  and when they go to other countries, as in this incident, this is what happens.   Failure is letting  them drive outside  China

Also many Thai drivers do this!

On 10/6/2025 at 6:31 AM, shdmn said:

Speed kills.  Sounds like he was also doing it in the far left lane, another bad idea.

 

My advice is to always try drive like Thai women, not Thai men.  First group tends to drive slower and more defensive.  The other group is just the opposite.

You haven’t been in the car when my Thai wife drives.  She says that she is the better driver to which I respond “if I agree with you then we will both be wrong”

The now deceased had a neck wound and broken collarbone and CPR was performed?🤔

On 10/6/2025 at 8:25 AM, actonion said:

Turning left  from any lane in Thailand is dangerous with Bikes undertaking when the right, & correct overtaking side is very clear

Wrong. On a road with a clearly marked bike lane, if a car is turning left the driver must first look in their nearside mirror to check that they won’t block a biker’s path as seems to be the case here.

On 10/6/2025 at 4:35 AM, WEBBYB808 said:

This is how they drive in China, turn left from second  lane.  I've seen in person.   It's ridiculous  and when they go to other countries, as in this incident, this is what happens.   Failure is letting  them drive outside  China

In China they wouldn't turf left from the second lane. In China they drive on the right had side of the road. A motor cycle would be undertaking on the right.

2 hours ago, Red Forever said:

Wrong. On a road with a clearly marked bike lane, if a car is turning left the driver must first look in their nearside mirror to check that they won’t block a biker’s path as seems to be the case here.

What about if it is riding at high speed and you don't see it in time.

5 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

The now deceased had a neck wound and broken collarbone and CPR was performed?🤔

The neck wound and broken collarbone are of little importance when the heart has stopped and a casualty needs CPR, in an attempt to help them live.

 

That takes little critical thinking, to work out a person dies, if the heart stops, without CPR, regardless of the other injuries.

 

But as normal it is just another trolling comment, in an attempt attack a news article or do you really know a new alternative to CPR, that first responders around the world, have missed in their training?

 

 

On 10/6/2025 at 7:42 AM, fredwiggy said:

The best advice is not to drive like anyone here and go by what you learned in the west, where there is a harder test to pass, and tickets given if you do anything wrong, unlike the lack of enforcement everyone knows about, and drives accordingly. Defensively, trusting no one, and staying in the middle lanes, letting the speeders pass, always using your mirrors.

Mine was a particularly hard test to pass....in an outback iron ore mining town  about 60 years ago.

 

First, the (one and only) cop, dressed in outback khaki,  rejected the pretty dirty, open top Landrover, so I had druve back to my quarters (no licence yet!! )to shower, change into fresh clothes and front up again in one of the manager's clean, white, airconditioned, Holden Ute's.("truck" for American speakers)

 

Satisfied, the real test began...

"Take me to the (one and only store ) supermarket."

Three minutes later, along a flat paved road with no other vehicles around, we went.

I had to go in and buy him a packet of B&H smokes (he paid....no corruption there!!).

Then it was 3 minutes back to the police station..

"You passed " he grunted 

 

BUT.. I had earlier received long and serious driver training from my Mum back in the city.

Say no more!!!

 

In the ensuing 60 years, never had a crash or a scrape (touch wood)...and that includes 20+ years riding motorbikes....defensively and safely.

Still potter around locally in Thailand on my Honda Click.

 

The training for a Commercial Pilot's Licence probably helped a lot too.😜

 

On 10/6/2025 at 11:35 AM, WEBBYB808 said:

This is how they drive in China, turn left from second  lane.  I've seen in person.   It's ridiculous  and when they go to other countries, as in this incident, this is what happens.   Failure is letting  them drive outside  China

Nonsense, so ban all drivers who used to drive on the right, not left? Most countries drive on the right

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The neck wound and broken collarbone are of little importance when the heart has stopped and a casualty needs CPR, in an attempt to help them live.

 

That takes little critical thinking, to work out a person dies, if the heart stops, without CPR, regardless of the other injuries.

 

But as normal it is just another trolling comment, in an attempt attack a news article or do you really know a new alternative to CPR, that first responders around the world, have missed in their training?

 

 

Mine was a valid comment George. The article did not mention the victim was not breathing or had no pulse. Applying CPR uneccessarily could complicate undetected internal injuries.

15 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Meaning their cars are designed with the driver's seat on the left side. But in Thailand the driver's seat is on the right side. Meaning if not very diligent a Chinese driver in Thailand may not see any vehicle to the left side of the car, especially cutting across a lane to the left side. 

 

 

It is idiotic to design a car with the driver's seat on the right side of the car.

The reason should be obvious:  The gear shift should be used with the right hand.

 

The UK got this all backwards....and then went on to spread this poor design around the world.

 

Probably this design continues to be responsible for thousands of deaths, even today.

 

 

4 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Mine was a valid comment George. The article did not mention the victim was not breathing or had no pulse. Applying CPR uneccessarily could complicate undetected internal injuries.

So now you choose to question the on scene triage called out by emergency responders.

 

You clearly have no idea of when and why CPR is called out. It is clear in this case that the casualty was in need of CPR, unresponsive, as he was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

What do you expect, every article you give a full triage assessment of every casualty. I would suggest you start following forum rules and stop just trying to attack articles.