Police rescue driver from mob after two killed at Phuket's 'hundred bodies curve'

[Lite Beer]

Police rescue driver from mob after two killed at Phuket's 'hundred bodies curve'
Phuket Gazette - 2014-05-03 08:50 AM

A villager stands beside the crumpled pick-up truck. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: Police yesterday quickly whisked away the driver of a six-wheeled truck that killed two people and injured four others at Phuket’s notorious “100 bodies curve” on Chao Fa West Road, to spare him from the wrath of an angry mob.

Uthai Pilaput told police that he was heading northbound at about midday when he lost control on the wet road and rammed a gray Honda Jazz.

When police arrived, Boonlert Udomtham, 46, was dead on the back seat of the car.

“He suffered head trauma and his right leg and right arm were broken,” said Lt Thapanee Warinsaad of the Wichit Police.

Sangwan Suwanmanee, 75, who was also sitting on the back seat, died of her injuries en route to hospital, Lt Thapanee added.

“Also injured in the car was the driver, Karnpong Sabsamroeng, who suffered a broken right arm,” she said.

“His wife, Mrs Sumalee, and their son, Kritanat, 9, both escaped with only minor cuts and bruises. Mrs Sumalee was sitting in the front and the boy was sitting on Mrs Sangwan’s lap.”

A blue Honda Jazz driving behind the Sabsamroeng family’s Honda was also involved in the accident.

“The driver is fine. The car suffered little damage,” Lt Thapanee said.

However, a pick-up truck hauling large water bottles suffered extensive damage when it 'rear-ended' the six-wheeler.

“The pick-up truck driver, Boonting Kingkaew, has an injured right shoulder,” Lt Thapanee confirmed.

“The six-wheeler finally stopped when it hit a tree.

“Mr Uthai has been charged with reckless driving resulting in death.”

The accident yesterday prompted Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak to inspect the scene in person.

Last Sunday, villagers outraged by officials’ continuing inaction to make the curve safer blockaded the busy road . The blockade disbanded only after Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut spoke to the mob and agreed to implement safety measures. Some of these measures were implemented just days ago .

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Police-rescue-driver-mob-two-killed-Phukets/29328#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2014-05-03

[Soupdragon]

How about catching and prosecuting reckless drivers BEFORE they cause carnage.

[Som wat]

Damn, how did something like that ever happen on a stretch of road called 100 bodies curve.

[terryp]

Time to start executing these brain dead twots…..i don’t want to be a victim of their idiotic pathetic recklessness and I guess none on TV do either

get rid of the garbage and start jailing police for lack of action prior to these murders...I see idiotic drivers everyday so the police must see it too

[khwaibah]

The mob had the correct idea.

[keestha]

I saw quite a few instances of mob justice in Africa, and I am displeased getting the impression that it is becoming more of a usual thing in Thailand nowadays.

[mancub]

How about catching and prosecuting reckless drivers BEFORE they cause carnage.

Totally agree...if only there weren't so damn many of them .

[Soupdragon]

How about catching and prosecuting reckless drivers BEFORE they cause carnage.

Totally agree...if only there weren't so damn many of them .

Two things to add to that, if there are so many they must be easy pickings for the MIB and, there are so many because no action is taken against them so they act with impunity........until they cause carnage.

[Just1Voice]

How about catching and prosecuting reckless drivers BEFORE they cause carnage.

Totally agree...if only there weren't so damn many of them .

To quote "Dirty Harry: - "Too many a$$holes, not enough bullets"

[Som wat]

Savages.

Guy driving a bus was lynched and killed by a mob in Bangkok 2 days ago.

Welcome to the jungle. Don't forget to buy one of them a house with your savings.

[AhFarangJa]

“His wife, Mrs Sumalee, and their son, Kritanat, 9, both escaped with only minor cuts and bruises. Mrs Sumalee was sitting in the front and the boy was sitting on Mrs Sangwan’s lap.”

very lucky, I know we see it every day both on bikes and in cars, but unfortunately the death toll will continue as people will never change their habits of a lifetime.

Edited May 3, 2014 by AhFarangJa

[belg]

the 2 probably had ... no seatbelt

Edited May 3, 2014 by belg

[CroBiker]

Where is this infamous curve exactly?

[Lupatria]

First the devil went down to Georgia and now Lynchburg moved to Thailand

[ezzra]

the 2 probably had ... no seatbelt

You think ?

[DeadBite]

Phuket needs cameras everywhere. It has the money and can do it. It would make some drivers a bit more conscious.

Edited May 3, 2014 by DeadBite

[soalbundy]

The mob had the correct idea.

Why? he was only doing what Thais do, anyway his brakes failed so he is not to blame.

[ChrisY1]

"100 bodies curve"....!!!..One would think that the authorities would have made this part of the road safer.....no...not here...just give it disgusting name!

Now it's the 102 bodies curve...and I bet nothing more will happen.....move the wrecks...hose off the blood and it's business as usual...

[IamNoone88]

Singapore recently cancelled drivers being paid per trip in favour if fixed salaries. This was to curb drving pressures and speeding on heavy lorries as drivers could then depend on a stable income .... and the result would be less accidents.

[JoeThePoster]

Who put the curve in the road?

[rhinoboy]

Until the automotive companies stop controlling our lives and they get good mass transporttion this stuff will only get worse. I can see the Toyota Boss in a drunk meeting handing the Road Authorities a bag of money. Thank you.

[starkey_rich]

Time to start executing these brain dead twots…..i don’t want to be a victim of their idiotic pathetic recklessness and I guess none on TV do either

get rid of the garbage and start jailing police for lack of action prior to these murders...I see idiotic drivers everyday so the police must see it too

Totally agree.I made a similar post in a previous thread about this bend but it removed.don't know why.

On a different note.

TV held a survey a few months ago. Does anyone know if the results were published?

[thaiguzzi]

Until the automotive companies stop controlling our lives and they get good mass transporttion this stuff will only get worse. I can see the Toyota Boss in a drunk meeting handing the Road Authorities a bag of money. Thank you.

Eh?

[ChoakMyDee]

My wife and I have been nearly killed a couple times by these trucks racing through red lights because they are going too fast to stop safely. Most of the time well overloaded with poor brakes probably.

[rhinoboy]

"When you're talking about public transportation in America, for the first part of this century, you're talking about streetcars. Trolleys ran on most major avenues every few minutes. Steel track and quiet electric motors made the ride smooth and clean and comfortable. The center of the road was reserved for streetcars, and the new automobiles had to move out of the way.

The Pacific Electric Railway served the Los Angeles basin with trolley service through World War II. In 1950, it abandoned most of its lines. The "Red Cars" were junked, stacked and left to rot. Similarly, General Motors targeted over 100 other U.S. cities through its front company, National City Lines."

Auto Companies like to have people buy cars and not have mass transprotataion, which is directly linked to all these people ( you and I ) being forced to own and use private vehicles. GM tore out many of the train services in the USA to sell more cars and I can Imagine the Bosses of the car companies doing the same thing here. Why not? Look at Chaing Mai, a mess, and no real decent bus subway or rail services.

[slipperylobster]

the 2 probably had ... no seatbelt

is that why the truck driver got careless?

[steelepulse]

Of course the driver lost control. He was driving too fast, the road just had recent rain, and this idiot kept driving like he was in a sports car on dry tarmac. I see this regularly here.

[Valentine]

Of course the driver lost control. He was driving too fast, the road just had recent rain, and this idiot kept driving like he was in a sports car on dry tarmac. I see this regularly here.

Yes, you only have to open your eyes to see this kind of dangerous driving & if the police were on the job they would be pulling these drivers over (a big money earner for them but I guess not as easy as standing on a street corner). Based on the report it seems like there were 2 rear enders, the pickup with the water bottles into the back of the truck (maybe the report is wrong as the pickup was facing the opposite way to the truck although the damage certainly looks like it went under the back of the truck so it must have spun around) & one jazz into the one where the 2 people were killed. I could see some damage to front left side of the truck, which was in the scrub on the opposite side of the road. The pickup was getting towed away when I passed which was also on the opposite side of the road. The Jazz with the fatalities was already gone but the blue one was still there & looked like someone or something, perhaps from the inside had damaged the windscreen.

Things happen so fast in that kind of situation like the poor guy squashed by the bus at the bottom of the mountain in Patong. A traffic island on that stretch (Chao Fa) should help but stricter policing is long overdue.

[roguewo]

I bet if someone were to make some concrete speed bumps every 6 feet, that would slow traffic to a crawl.

I pity the fool who tried to get rid of them.

[oldsailor35]

Of course the driver lost control. He was driving too fast, the road just had recent rain, and this idiot kept driving like he was in a sports car on dry tarmac. I see this regularly here.

Yes, you only have to open your eyes to see this kind of dangerous driving & if the police were on the job they would be pulling these drivers over (a big money earner for them but I guess not as easy as standing on a street corner). Based on the report it seems like there were 2 rear enders, the pickup with the water bottles into the back of the truck (maybe the report is wrong as the pickup was facing the opposite way to the truck although the damage certainly looks like it went under the back of the truck so it must have spun around) & one jazz into the one where the 2 people were killed. I could see some damage to front left side of the truck, which was in the scrub on the opposite side of the road. The pickup was getting towed away when I passed which was also on the opposite side of the road. The Jazz with the fatalities was already gone but the blue one was still there & looked like someone or something, perhaps from the inside had damaged the windscreen.

Things happen so fast in that kind of situation like the poor guy squashed by the bus at the bottom of the mountain in Patong. A traffic island on that stretch (Chao Fa) should help but stricter policing is long overdue.

Gotta ask the question "Do the police know the difference between a dangerous driver and a normal one "