The driver of the Suzuki Swift, 30-year-old Nopphawong Phetkong, escaped with only minor injuries.
Capt Ekkasak Kwanwan of the Thalang Police was informed of the accident, near new PTT petrol station on Thepkrasattri Rd, in Moo 5, Tambon Thepkrasattri, at 3:30pm.
Officers arrived with Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers to find a white Phuket-registered Mitsubishi Fuso truck and trailer stopped askew in the middle of the northbound lanes.
The truck driver, 29-year-old Wattanachai Tewwarit, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, was waiting at the scene.
Across the road was Mr Nopphawong’s Phuket-registered grey Suzuki Swift, crumpled from its multi-flip ordeal.
Also damaged and parked by the side of the road, but facing opposite the direction of traffic flow, was a grey Phuket-registered Toyota Hilux pickup truck with its right side crumpled from an impact.
The pickup driver, Boonsong Kanpholang, 54, originally from Lop Buri, was also waiting at the scene. He was not injured in the collisions.
All three vehicles and all three drivers were taken to Thalang Police Station to questioning to determine what had caused the accident.
After hearing the drivers’ accounts of what had happened, Capt Ekkasak determined that Wattanachai was driving northbound on Thepkrasattri Rd after passing through the Thalang four-way intersection.
Wattanachai said he was “forced” to move from the right lane to the left, which ended up seeing the Suzuki Swift swerving out of control and onto the central reservation.
The Swift then struck the pickup truck and rolled several times before coming to a stop beside the road, missing its entire back axle and its rear end crumpled by the collisions.
Wattanachai was fined B400 for his recklessness, Capt Ekkasak reported.
However, no mention was made of Wattanachai driving with an expired licence. According to a photo of his licence presented to The Phuket News, Wattanachai’s licence expired on January 31 this year.
Capt Ekkasak did note in his report that the insurance company for the truck is already involved in negotiations for the damage to Mr Boonsong’s pickup and Mr Nopphawong’s Suzuki Swift.