'Reckless' driver slams into cyclists, kills one: Kanchanaburi

[webfact]

'Reckless' Driver Slams Into Cyclists, Kills One
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- A cyclist has been killed and three others severely injured by a driver who reportedly raced with other cars on the highway in Kanchanaburi province.

The incident took place at a roadside in Tamaka district, where one cyclist was found dead at the scene, while three other cyclists laid on the ground with their injuries 200 metres away. The police also found a pick-up truck which has smashed into the wall of a nearby factory.

The truck driver was not present at the crime scene, police said.

The deceased was later identified as as Mr. Phonsak Sawaengwutthipan, 51, a resident of Pra Samut Chedi district, Samut Prakarn province. He is also a deputy president of a runner and cyclist club which regularly organises charity events, police said

Initial post-mortem investigation revealed Mr. Phonsak suffered broken neck, arms and legs. His body was also nearly torn apart by the impact of the car crash.

Prior to the incident, Mr. Phonsak and 1,000 other athletes have joined a triathlon ′mini marathon′ organised by Kasetsart University. The competitors were set to cycle, run, and walk from the university′s Kampangsaen Campus to Tamaka district before returning to the university, in a total distance of 57 kilometres.

Witnesses told police that as the convoy of athletes was cycling along the road, two pick-up trucks raced each other and approached the convoy. A 10-wheel truck suddenly appeared on the other lane, witnesses said, causing one of the pick-up truck to divert quickly, but the driver reportedly lost control and hit into the group of cyclists, before crashed into a factory.

The driver fled the scene amid the confusion, police said.

It is suspected that the truck driver works for a TV satellite company after police found satellite installation equipment inside the truck. The police vowed to locate and apprehend the suspect as soon as possible.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNU1EZ3hPRGN5Tmc9PQ==


-- Khaosod English 2014-01-27

[Sayonarax]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Sayonarax

[Yunla]

RIP to the nice guy who organised charity events and was doing the world a favour by cycling not driving. I hope the injured recover swiftly. Tragic beyond words.

[HooHaa]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

why, due to one isolated incident?

you enjoy the sofa and make sure you wear a helmet navigating the stairs.

Ill enjoy the 100k i ride a week thank you.

[JetsetBkk]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

Nothing crazy about wanting to do it.

Just crazy to do it.

[soi41]

"The truck driver was not present at the scene, police said!"

Any posters here surprised??

[Costas2008]

Hope they catch the bastard soon.

RIP Khun Phonsak.

What is this with Thailand? They either fall from balconies or killed by reckless drivers who run away or children get hurt from drunken drivers.

PLEASE, DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS.

[transam]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

why, due to one isolated incident?

you enjoy the sofa and make sure you wear a helmet navigating the stairs.

Ill enjoy the 100k i ride a week thank you.

, your nuts................

[soi41]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

Nothing crazy about wanting to do it.

Just crazy to do it.

Been biking here every day for more than 10 years, 30-40 km/daily!!

Never had an accident!!

On the other hand, it has often surprised me to see Thai bikers doing their exercise-rounds on main highways!

[ratcatcher]

The truck was probably registered in the driver's name. Or it was in a friend's name. Whatever, they will probably nail the bastard in the next few days and hopefully we will hear about it. RIP the poor cyclist fatality.

[Varangkul]

Hope they catch the bastard soon.

RIP Khun Phonsak.

What is this with Thailand? They either fall from balconies or killed by reckless drivers who run away or children get hurt from drunken drivers.

PLEASE, DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS.

Who're you talking to, Costa? "Cos nobody's listening!

[BillyBobThai]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

why, due to one isolated incident?

you enjoy the sofa and make sure you wear a helmet navigating the stairs.

Ill enjoy the 100k i ride a week thank you.

100K a week, when do you sleep??

[ginjag]

"The truck driver was not present at the scene, police said!"

Any posters here surprised??

He was only changing his underwear, have patience, If he worked for a satellite company they should be able to locate him fast.

Amazing ---Fled the scene as you say, I wonder what % of INCIDENTS-not accidents do drivers f -off. you see in an accident normally no one flees the scene.

This % in Thailand is very high I would think. I know in the UK it is very rare. type of people--or type of law. ?????

[54321]

Like most, I hope they catch whoever caused this. I also agree that few roads are suitable for cycles in thailand and in a lot of the world where cycle lanes are insufficient, badly policed and poorly thought out. The well publicised cycle lane in Phra artit is usually occupied by motorcycles, pedestrians or tuk tuks.

[Deserted]

The cyclist was clearly unlucky. One incident does not make cycling dangerous. By that rationale motorbikes and trains are too, since there have been more deaths with them of late. The roads upcountry are have less traffic and are prone to faster drivers, so you need to be more careful that's all. the victim in this case was in the wrong place at the wrong time, that can happen to anyone whether they are on a bike or in a car.

[Hockeybik]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

why, due to one isolated incident?

you enjoy the sofa and make sure you wear a helmet navigating the stairs.

Ill enjoy the 100k i ride a week thank you.

100K a week, when do you sleep??

It's pretty easy to ride at 20 km/hour... so... if my arithmetic is on, it would take about 5 hours to ride 100 kilometers, leaving plenty of time to sleep. I just finished an 800km ride in 8 days with 50 other people in southern Thailand. All made it safely. Still no excuse for the morons behind the wheel.

[justaphase]

100km a week is nothing.

The driver fled the scene amid the confusion... Hmmm..

[Radar501]

A triathlon with over 1,000 competitors, and the road was open to traffic in both directions? Still, I am sure that the event organisers had effective traffic control systems in place.....NOT!

There is no mention in the news report what happened to the second pick-up involved. Did that driver also do a runner, and do the police intend to investigate him/her for his/her part in this incident?.....NO!

[Confuscious]

The truck was probably registered in the driver's name. Or it was in a friend's name. Whatever, they will probably nail the bastard in the next few days and hopefully we will hear about it. RIP the poor cyclist fatality.

In Thailand, it is not unusual to flee the scene at an accident and give yourself up the next day (showing remorse).

That cuts your (eventual) punishment by 50%.

The police are not even going to come up out of their chair to look for the driver of the truck as they know that he will turn up freely at the Police station tomorrow or in the next few days.

Fleeing the scene in an accident can save also yourself from being lynched.

TIT

[Showbags]

Tis a wonder this does not happen more often where I live...many bike events around here and training groups from town out here every day.

I always ride on the opposite side of the road so I can see what is coming, hopefully the extra couple of seconds might get me out of the way.

[Showbags]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

why, due to one isolated incident?

you enjoy the sofa and make sure you wear a helmet navigating the stairs.

Ill enjoy the 100k i ride a week thank you.

100K a week, when do you sleep??

It's pretty easy to ride at 20 km/hour... so... if my arithmetic is on, it would take about 5 hours to ride 100 kilometers, leaving plenty of time to sleep. I just finished an 800km ride in 8 days with 50 other people in southern Thailand. All made it safely. Still no excuse for the morons behind the wheel.

Maybe he just does it for fun, few times a week, or regular exercise..again, few times a week.

I ride 10k's a day except for weekends usually....big deal, but it gets me heart goin a wittle bit.

[tomyummer]

"Initial post-mortem investigation revealed Mr. Phonsak suffered broken neck, arms and legs. His body was also nearly torn apart by the impact of the car crash."

Not nice at all. Was there a need to mention his injuries in such detail? RIP sir.

[Felt 35]

RIP to the cyclist and must the pick up driver of a coconut get the punishment he deserves.

I'm a cyclist myself and when 90% of Thai drivers usually respect and show consideration for cyclist on the road you have the 10% which never should have been in anything else than flip flops behind a plough.

[HooHaa]

100km a week is nothing.

not quite nothing, but certainly not a herculean feat either. its an hour a day more or less before the gym and a swim.

and it helps me sleep very well at night to answer the question of another.

but as i said earlier, its a hell of a lot more interesting than sitting around worrying about potential dangers.

Edited January 27, 2014 by HooHaa

[arthurwait]

RIP.

[Showbags]

Why do some cyclists insist on riding out in the traffic lane, instead of the bike lane ?

For one thing, you are going 10 times slower than the traffic and cause traffic to slow to a near stop without reason....and you do not have any insurance to cover accidents, nor pay registration to cover 3rd party.

[jollyhangmon]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

Nothing crazy about wanting to do it.

Just crazy to do it.

Been biking here every day for more than 10 years, 30-40 km/daily!!

Never had an accident!!

On the other hand, it has often surprised me to see Thai bikers doing their exercise-rounds on main highways!

+1

[GeorgeO]

You have to be crazy to want to ride a bicycle on the roads in Thailand.

why, due to one isolated incident?

you enjoy the sofa and make sure you wear a helmet navigating the stairs.

Ill enjoy the 100k i ride a week thank you.

, your nuts................

what about his nuts...?

[GeorgeO]

The truck was probably registered in the driver's name. Or it was in a friend's name. Whatever, they will probably nail the bastard in the next few days and hopefully we will hear about it. RIP the poor cyclist fatality.

In Thailand, it is not unusual to flee the scene at an accident and give yourself up the next day (showing remorse).

That cuts your (eventual) punishment by 50%.

The police are not even going to come up out of their chair to look for the driver of the truck as they know that he will turn up freely at the Police station tomorrow or in the next few days.

Fleeing the scene in an accident can save also yourself from being lynched.

TIT

It also allows sufficient time to get the alcohol/drugs out of the system...!!

[jollyhangmon]

"The truck driver was not present at the scene, police said!"

Any posters here surprised??

He was only changing his underwear, have patience, If he worked for a satellite company they should be able to locate him fast.

Amazing ---Fled the scene as you say, I wonder what % of INCIDENTS-not accidents do drivers f -off. you see in an accident normally no one flees the scene.

This % in Thailand is very high I would think. I know in the UK it is very rare. type of people--or type of law. ?????

... all of these "scene fleeing" eff-heads should - once cought of course - be locked away for some good years as it happens in any decent country, plus high compensation payments to victims or their families especially b-e-c-a-u-s-e of leaving the spot and denied >assistance after accident< ... the law here suits i once was told, so it's definitely the >type of people< ... where i come from rarely one gets away as witnesses would be eager to nail the murderer, in contrast to the - hm, let's say "folks" here, 'nuff said ...!