Phuket City Police and an ambulance from the Phuket Provincial Hospital in Rassada were called to the scene of the accident, at the intersection of Srisuthat Rd and Amphur Rd, at 5:30pm.
At the scene was a motorbike jammed under the front of a Rassada Municipality garbage truck, driven by Wirasak Boonlah, 35.
Motorbike taxi driver Suwit Panyayong, 65, had suffered minor injures, but his passenger, Adirek Suetrong, 39, had sustained serious head injuries in the collision and subsequent fall onto the road.
Both were taken to Phuket Provincial Hospital, but Mr Adirek was pronounced dead at the facility.
Mr Suwit was wearing a helmet, but Mr Adirek was not, Capt Kraisorn Phakarraya of the Phuket City Police pointed out.
“According to our investigation, the garbage truck driver stopped the truck to wait for the red traffic lights at the intersection,” Capt Kraisorn said.
‘The motorbike arrived at the lights it pulled up on the left side. When the lights turned green the motorbike and the truck took off, but the garbage truck driver did not see the motorbike. The truck struck the motorbike and it fell down, resulting in the injuries,” he added.
Wirasak has been charged with reckless driving causing death, Capt Kraisorn confirmed.
“Mr Suwit was tested for alcohol, but he tested negative,” he added.
The deadly accident yesterday follows the horrific accident last Monday (April 10) that saw two students killed when they were crushed under the wheels of a private garbage truck at the entrance to Soi Palai on Chao Fa East Rd. (See story here.)