The student, Attapinya Jonpleaw, was launched through the windscreen in the impact, at the “Phangchang curve” on Phetkasem Rd in Kalai subdistrict (see map).
When police arrived shortly after 8:30pm, she was unconscious and unresponsive, lying on the road about one metre away from the wreckage. She was pronounced dead on arrival at Phang Nga Hospital.
Police declined to name the school Attapinya attended, only referring to it as “a well known school in Phuket”.
Capt Ekkapop Phuthong of the Takua Thung Police said a medical unit from Phang Nga Hospital, Kalai village headman Chakkrich Ngandee and rescue workers were already at the scene when officers arrived.
“The wrecked Toyota pickup truck was on its roof and its broken windscreen and other debris were scattered all over the road,” Capt Ekkapop said.
“Five victims were still trapped inside the truck. Rescue workers used hydraulics cutters to free them from the wreck,” he added.
The driver of the pickup, 25-year-old Siripong Yongkana, suffered injuries to his chest and right leg, while 23-year-old Lapasarada Soda, listed as a teacher at a government school in Phuket, suffered a broken right hip.
“The three other passengers suffered only minor injuries,” Capt Eakkapop noted, adding that all five were taken to Phang Nga Hospital for treatment.
“Mr Siripong explained that all five in the vehicle were relatives of his. They had left Phuket and were travelling to Nakhon Sri Thammarat to prepare for a ceremony for Mr Siripong to be ordained as a Buddhist monk on Saturday (Apr 23),” Capt Ekkapop said.
“He said it was raining hard when they reached the curve. He lost control of the vehicle on the wet road and crashed into a tree on the central reservation.
“The impact caused Attapinya who was sitting on the back seat to plunge through the windscreen,” he said.
Capt Ekkapop confirmed that no charges have been pressed at this time.
“We are collecting evidence and waiting to question all the surviving passengers before we can conclude our investigation,” he said.