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One dead as watermelon truck slams into Phuket’s Heroines Monument

PHUKET: One man has died and another is injured after their pickup truck carrying four tons of watermelons slid out of control and slammed into a steel barricade protecting the Heroines Monument in central Phuket before dawn this morning (Jan 6).

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By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 6 January 2017, 10:07AM

The pickup truck was carrying four tons of watermelons from Krabi to markets in Patong when the driver lost control on the wet road and slammed into the barrier before dawn today (Jan 6). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Thalang Police led by Capt Kraisorn Boonprasop along with Kusoldharm rescue workers were called to the accident at 5:45am.

At the scene, the pickup truck driver, Sonsitthi Raeden, 43, from Krabi, was unconscious and unresponsive in the cab.

Rescue workers used hydraulic cutters to free him and rushed him to Thalang Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The passenger in the vehicle, Sarawut Prawong, 18, had suffered a back injury and was also taken to Thalang Hospital, said Capt Kraisorn.

“Mr Sarawut said that they were carrying more than four tons of watermelons from Krabi to markets in Patong,” Capt Kraisorn explained.

“It was raining and the road was wet and slippery, and the driver lost control of his vehicle at the monument and hit the barrier,” he added.

Police are still investigating the accident and have yet press any charges, he added.

jogi | 08 January 2017 - 14:20:21

the superbrain driver had worked out, that if he overload his pickup, he can kompensate for a non existing power steering. to all the bike riders who bypassed  for obviuos reason's the checkpoints for the 7 day's of danger campain. just look at this watermelon and imagin how they would look if this melons was wearing crashhelmet's. but i agree, crashhelmet should not be used by waterme...

Kurt | 07 January 2017 - 12:28:14

@ Foot.  You are right. Most likely due to heavy load in the back the front wheels had no road grip/touch.
Actually a wonder that steering was possible until the moment of accident..

Foot | 06 January 2017 - 16:12:30

@Concerned.  Highly unlikely that a vehicle with this much weight hydroplaned.
Simply another case of reckless driving:  too fast for road conditions.

Andy | 06 January 2017 - 15:43:36

Kurt - Correct, they are not.
The gross vehicle weight of the average pick up truck is around 3 tons but that of course includes the truck itself and the two occupants. The payload will likely be 1.5 ton at best and from looking at this truck I'd guess 1 ton but note this does include the occupants.
The average water melon is about 8kg so say 1000kg minus 150kg for the occupants minus say 5...

Sue Yu2 | 06 January 2017 - 12:56:46

As Kurt notes, that amount of weight is far too much for a pick-up. It works out as more than 60 people with an average weight of 10 stone(63.6kg)each. Come on,get real. Must be hard to control in good conditions, but speed & rain would mean it was an accident waiting to happen.

Kurt | 06 January 2017 - 12:09:08

More than 4000 kg cargo on a pick up truck?
Are these trucks designed for so much cargo weight?

Sometimes I see these overloaded pick up trucks with front wheels hardly touching the road.
'Swerving', no steering control, than easily can occur.
It was raining, and the road was wet and slippery? Really?
How unfortunate to got surprised on a thai road by that unusual phenomena.

BenPendejo | 06 January 2017 - 10:38:29

No surprise here, as there is a constant disregard for safe loading and carrying capacity for vehicles, and most people here seem to have no understanding of the implications of driving excessive and imbalanced loads.

Concerned | 06 January 2017 - 10:33:39

Assume they never heard anything about Aquaplaning  
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaplaning 
And don't slow down during rain showers 
also a lot drive with worn down tires  
Aquaplaning - TyreSafe - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRY8Xsohoh8