Van crash kills two Phuket buffalo, tourists safe

Phuket's dwindling population of buffalo was reduced by two in the high-speed collision.

Two foreign tourists started their Phuket holiday with a bang earlier this morning.

PHUKET: Three people were injured early this morning when a Phuket passenger van slammed into two buffalo, killing both.

Thalang Police were notified of the accident at 1:30am. At the scene they found a Toyota passenger van with its front smashed in and its three passengers slightly injured.

The driver, identified as 43-year-old Suchart Kaow-ian, was taking two foreign tourists from Phuket Airport to Patong when his Toyota minibus struck the two beasts in front of the Shell service station on Thepkrasattri Road southbound in Thalang.

One of the animals was pinned under the vehicle, while the other was catapulted onto the median strip nearby.

Mr Suchart faces possible charges of reckless driving causing injury, while the owner of the two buffalo may also be charged – if he can be found. It was not immediately clear whether he fled the scene of the accident, as is often practiced in Phuket, or was not there in the first place.

A rescue worker at the scene said the two buffalo paid the ultimate price for being "so reckless” in wandering out onto Phuket’s deadliest stretch of asphalt.

Fortunately the two foreign tourists, whose nationalities were not identified, did not require hospital treatment. They were sent to their resort in Patong by another vehicle.

Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers took driver Mr Suchart to Vachira Phuket Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-07-31

what about the farang that will have to pay his teerak for this buffalo.. he aint safe

Police take seriously the practice of letting farm animals wander on the roads after dark. My wife hit a large pig which darted out on the road and I had her report it to the local constabulary for insurance reasons. The police followed through admirably and of course confiscated the still living pig as evidence to be disposed of in any manner they felt appropriate. My guess is that the police will do the same with the two errant water buffalo.