Pictures courtesy of Kaoded

A fully laden 18-wheel lorry crashed into a central construction barrier on Bang Na–Trat Road in Samut Prakan, causing major disruption, fuel spillage and a temporary road closure late on 18 January 2026. The incident occurred at 9.20pm on the outbound frontage road at kilometre marker 16, on a bridge over Khlong Bang Chalong, forcing authorities to divert traffic and suspend normal access while the scene was cleared.

The crash caused the cargo, identified as plywood sheets, to spill across the roadway, while a large quantity of fuel leaked onto the road surface. Police from Bang Phli Police Station closed the frontage road lanes and redirected vehicles to the express lanes, coordinating with firefighters and deploying two excavators to remove debris and reopen the route as quickly as possible.

Police identified the driver as Mr Rungarun, aged 47, who was rescued from the cab by nearby residents due to concerns about a possible fire from leaking fuel. Witnesses said he attempted to flee the scene and got away from residents, but was later detained by patrol officers at a petrol station around one kilometre away, where he claimed he had gone because he “had stomach pain and rushed to the station”.

Officers reported that Mr Rungarun appeared intoxicated, speaking unclearly and struggling to maintain balance. Dashcam footage from another road user showed the lorry swerving erratically, cutting suddenly from the left lane to the right, and accelerating despite repeated horn warnings before crashing violently into the concrete barrier, sending dust and debris across the road.

During questioning, Mr Rungarun told reporters he had just started a work shift and was heading to deliver goods to Khlong 7 in Lam Luk Ka, stating that he did not know how he reached the crash location. He admitted drinking one bottle of 40-degree rice whisky before starting work and said he regularly drinks alcohol, even when scheduled to continue driving.

He also disclosed that he had previously been convicted of drink driving and imprisoned for three months last year, although no crash occurred in that earlier case. Rescue officials added that the lorry had reportedly sideswiped a taxi shortly before the crash and fled the scene, causing additional damage.

Kaoded reported that construction workers at the site said it was fortunate the crash occurred during a shift change, as no workers were present at the barrier at the time. Police took Mr Rungarun into custody and are proceeding with legal action while assessing further charges linked to the earlier collision.

Key Takeaways

• An 18-wheel lorry crashed into a Bang Na–Trat construction barrier on 18 January 2026, causing major disruption but no injuries.

• The driver admitted drinking a bottle of 40-degree rice whisky and has a prior conviction for drink driving.

• Authorities are pursuing legal action, including investigation of an earlier hit-and-run involving a taxi.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from Kaoded 2026-01-20

 

 

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

A fully laden 18-wheel lorry crashed

And drunk s well, behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler. It´s safe out there mates! 😂

Who hired this degenerate after he had previously been convicted and imprisoned for drunk driving.