Mexican killed, three Thais injured in Phuket head-on crash

Phuket Gazette

Police believe that Mexican national Christian Roth might not have been used to driving on the left in Phuket. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

The three men travelling in the black Toyota Altis were rushed to hospital for treatment. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- A Mexican national died early this morning when the car he was driving, on the wrong side of one of Phuket’s most dangerous roads, struck an oncoming vehicle, injuring the three occupants.

Thalang Police received a report at 2:45am of a dead man in a new white Toyota Vios at a u-turn on Thepkrasattri Road in Srisoonthorn, about two kilometers north of the Heroines’ Monument, opposite the Provincial Electricity Authority substation.

Capt Patiwat Yodkwan arrived at the scene with volunteer rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation and Baan Nai Khlam organization to find a large crowd of onlookers gathered near two badly damaged cars on the road: the white Toyota Vios and nearby a crumpled black Toyota Corolla Altis containing three injured people.

An international driving license at the scene identified the dead driver of the white Vios as 30-year-old Mexican national Christian Werner Roth.

From the black Altis, rescue workers extracted three injured men.

Kijjakarn Manajit, 23, the driver; Khuntub Alaisuk, 21; and Taksin Sirijun, 23, a leading aircraftman of the Royal Thai Air Force, were all taken to Thalang Hospital before being transferred to the better-equipped Mission Hospital Phuket and Phuket International Hospital.

From witness statements, the police deduced that Mr Roth had driven the vehicle south along the northbound carriageway. The vehicle was in the lane nearest the median about 20 meters before the u-turn when it struck the Altis head on.

It is not known how far Mr Roth had driven the car along the northbound carriageway. Currently police believe that the accident occurred because he was not used to driving on the left, as in Mexico they drive on the right.

“I cannot say whether the man [Mr Roth] was also drunk until the medical examination results are released,” said Capt Patiwat.

The Mexican embassy in Bangkok had been notified of the incident, and Mr Roth’s body was transported to Thalang Hospital for examination and to await instructions from his relatives, he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle17917.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-09-14

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

There were 3 Thais in the car so surely they must have mentioned it unless they were all asleep.

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

I've never seen a motorcycle with a steering wheel.

There were 3 Thais in the car so surely they must have mentioned it unless they were all asleep.

The Thais were in the other car.

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

I've never seen a motorcycle with a steering wheel.

Understandable then.

RIP, christian. your family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers. the entire team at XANA will miss you...

RIP, christian. your family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers. the entire team at XANA will miss you...

amyb, I am sorry for your loss.

My sympathies lie with the three Thai men and their families who are badly injured through no fault of their own.

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

I've never seen a motorcycle with a steering wheel.

Maybe it slipped your attention, but all parties were driving cars, and cars DO have steering wheels!!!

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

I think we all have at least for a moment. With traffic coming from all sides sometimes I must ask myself, is it them in the wrong lane or me. Learned driving on the right side.

My sympathies lie with the three Thai men and their families who are badly injured through no fault of their own.

And not for the mexican guy? Thats a little harsh isnt it?

Surprised no one has declared that Roth (RIP) is not a real Mexican.

As a UK National, spent a lot of time in Germany driving on the right hand side of the road. Went back to UK on hols and came out of a side street on to the main road and momentarily was on the wrong side of the road. It was quite conspicuous really as bearing down on us was a HUGE RED DOUBLE DECKER BUS. I exclaimed to my Wife <deleted> is he doing heading at us? With great delight she said, "Darling it's you that's in the wrong!" With swift and deft evasive action we all survived the incident, but it certainly heightened my awareness of how through a momentary lack of concentration, things can go so badly wrong.

RIP Mr Roth and a speedy recovery for the other young men involved.

My sympathies lie with the three Thai men and their families who are badly injured through no fault of their own.

makes a change..

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

No, it doesn't. I went back to Europe two years ago, took my brother's car and almost drove into a roundabout on the left lane.He saw what I wanted to do and said that I should drive in the right, not left lane. Well, he's got a driving school, all cars with pedals for clutch and brakes on both sides.

Was just wondering when people think that all the OTHERS are driving on the wrong lane.

And I drove on the right lane for more than 20 years. 10 years driving here's not just changing your style of driving, I'd assume.

That can happen when people get used to something, or are not familiar with driving on the left, or right lane.

Christian Werner Roth.is a 100% German name. Hope whoever had to die might rest in peace. Hope the injured will have a speedy and fully recovery---

Bin Dere, Dun Dat while riding a 135cc Yammie Scooter on Koh Chang. Fortuneately it was on a remote road. My Terak was b/h on another 125cc. She never said a word to me. I admonished her for not warning me. "But Terak", she said, "I always su-top you from crossing the road, looking the wrong way". When we go to Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam, it is me grabbing her shoulder as she blithely steps into a road ... looking the wrong way. C'est la vie!

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

I've never seen a motorcycle with a steering wheel.

Maybe it slipped your attention, but all parties were driving cars, and cars DO have steering wheels!!!

Ho Hummm here we go again.....Mabey it was the car manufacturers fault not enough safety features like the wrong side of the road warning feature not fitted??

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

or the car was driving on the wrong side of the road the supposed driver was just the passenger at the wheel?

Surprised no one has declared that Roth (RIP) is not a real Mexican.

Me too. "Erik al-Hussein is not a Swede!" is the typical reply.

Also surprised nobody mentioned that people drive on the wrong side all the time!

Anyways, sad story. "One of Phuket's most dangerous roads". Maybe Phuket should do something about that.

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

I've never seen a motorcycle with a steering wheel.

Maybe it slipped your attention, but all parties were driving cars, and cars DO have steering wheels!!!

I assumed KB was not using the general "you" but was addressing me, but I may have been mistaken.

Bin Dere, Dun Dat while riding a 135cc Yammie Scooter on Koh Chang. Fortuneately it was on a remote road. My Terak was b/h on another 125cc. She never said a word to me. I admonished her for not warning me. "But Terak", she said, "I always su-top you from crossing the road, looking the wrong way". When we go to Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam, it is me grabbing her shoulder as she blithely steps into a road ... looking the wrong way. C'est la vie!

You both called Terak? Weird!

I assumed KB was not using the general "you" but was addressing me, but I may have been mistaken.

You're correct.

Bin Dere, Dun Dat while riding a 135cc Yammie Scooter on Koh Chang. Fortuneately it was on a remote road. My Terak was b/h on another 125cc. She never said a word to me. I admonished her for not warning me. "But Terak", she said, "I always su-top you from crossing the road, looking the wrong way". When we go to Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam, it is me grabbing her shoulder as she blithely steps into a road ... looking the wrong way. C'est la vie!

You both called Terak? Weird!

Me and my wife both called terak too ที่รัก You do not?

Surprised no one has declared that Roth (RIP) is not a real Mexican.

I thought that - his name sounds western European, maybe German. But if he is living in Mexico and has got Mexican nationality - he's Mexican (real or not).

"Surprised no one has declared that Roth (RIP) is not a real Mexican."

Did you guys realize what you are talking about? First, Christian was a real Mexican, he was born in Mexico as where his parents. There are few indigenous inhabitants there that don't have any European blood and they usually don't live around the world working as managers. Roth is an European family name as most Mexicans have European descendency.

You guys are chatting here without realizing that a person has lost his life and three were seriously injured.

Christian was a really good person, excellent professional and great friend. He will be missed by everyone he met. Who made this useless comment should be ashamed and think twice before saying such a nonsense. We are human beings, should have more compassion and judge less.

I wonder if he was wearing his seat belt. I would have hoped that the accident should have been survivable (due to new car and no damage to passenger safety zone) but I understand that is sadly not always the case.

I have to admit I have momentarily driven on the wrong side of the road here before more than once. You really need to pay attention to it if you learned driving on the right.

Doesn't the position of the steering wheel give you a clue?

A valid point: the steering wheel does give you a clue but if, like me, you have only driven on the left-hand side of the road, when going around a roundabout (go around cloackwise) or giving way to traffic (look left, look, right, look left again) it is natural to do what you have always done,. He was driving at night so can I suggest that traffic was light(?).

I drove in the United States back in 2009 and it was very tiring because, as well as normal concentration required on the road, I also had to concentrate all the time on how close I was to cars or the footpath on my right. Overtaking feels odd, too. It's like undertaking, but with five feet of car to your right. Overtaking trucks was, ahem, "interesting".

I any case, it is a sad case and I feel for his family back in Mexico. Losing someone close is hard enough but when they're ahlfway around the world, it must make it harder.

Condolences to Mr Roth's family and friends.

At least you were concentrating when driving in unfamiliar conditions.

Due to this guys lack of it, he lost his life and seriously injured three innocent people.