Mother dies in car accident on family weekend getaway

Police and rescue workers were called to the scene, on the Khok Khloi bypass road in Takua Thung, Phang Nga, just after 11am yesterday (Jan 10).

At the scene, officers found the heavily damaged wreck of a grey Phuket-registered Toyota Camry taxi, which had struck a lamp post on the central reservation.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident.

Rescue workers rushed to use hydraulic equipment to remove the seven people in the car from the wreck.

Travelling in the car were Wanpen Na Nakhorn, 40, her partner Precha Phonrop, 45, and their four children: Ms Natnaree, 18; Ms Anda, 16; Ms Panchawan, 13; and young boy Theemethinthorn, 9.

Also travelling in the car was Mr Preecha’s 7-year-old niece Siranya Meepot.

Ms Wanpen and her family lived in Sakhu, just south of Phuket International Airport.

Ms Wanpen was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have yet to confirm who was driving at the time of the accident, but Capt Thaweesak Kurasri of the Khok Kloi Police this morning (Jan 11) confirmed that only Mr Preecha remained in intensive care at a hospital.

Capt Thaweesak said he was unable to give a description of the Mr Preecha’s current condition and declined to identify which hospital Mr Preecha was receiving care at, but said that of the six survivors from the accident one was receiving care at Vachira Phuket Hospital, another at Thalang Hospital and a third was at Khok Khloi Hospital.

Capt Thaweesak told The Phuket News that although the car involved in the accident was a Phuket-registered taxi, Mr Preecha was not a taxi driver. Capt Thaweesak did not give any alternative explanation of why the family were travelling in the taxi.

“We know that they were travelling to the Long Lae Market, but we do not know what caused the accident,” Capt Thaweesak said.

“We are still investigating the accident, but now is not the time to question the people involved,” he said.

Ms Wanpen’s family in Trang have been contacted and her body has already been released to her family so preparations for her funeral can begin, Capt Thaweesak said.

Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot