The minivan driver has put the blame of the accident on weather conditions.
At 4pm on Saturday (Mar 25), Lt Col Sanae Aukot of Muang Phang Nga Police received information of an accident that had occurred on the Thap Put-Muang Phang Nga Rd in Phang Nga province.
Phang Nga City Police Chief Col Suwat Kaewprom, Capt Pairat Makephamorn, rescue teams, and a medical team from Phang Nga Hospital arrived at the scene found to find a Bangkok-registered Toyota minvan belonging to Pegas Touristik with its front badly damaged.
Nearby were a Phuket-registered Isuzu pickup truck with damage along its right side and a Phuket-registered Toyota Fortuner with damage to its left side.
Capt Pairat said, “The minivan driver, Mr Arun Yotharak, 30, from Phuket was taking two female Russians from Krabi to Phuket when the accident occurred. The two women were taken to Phang Nga Hospital.
“Arun told us that because it was as raining he lost control of his vehicle causing him to hit two other vehicles,” he said.
“There was an unresponsive man name, Phakphoom Plearngsaeree, 60, from Phang Nga, on the back seat of the Fortuner, he was transferred to hospital but was later pronounced dead.
“The driver of the Fortuner, Mr Theerayut Kungit, 31, and his passengers, which included a one-and-a-half-year-old girl all sustained minor injuries and were taken to Phang Nga Hospital for treatment,” Capt Pairat added.
Ms Aucharaphan Plearngsri, 33, the daughter of Fortuner driver Mr Phakphoom said, “We were driving from Natoei in Phang Nga and heading to Uthairatbamrung temple when we were hit by the minivan.”
Capt Pairat said, “There were four people in the Isuzu pickup; driver Mr Nirot Kaewrot, 46, Ms Uthai Kaewrot, 43, Supphanimit Kaewrot, 8, and Sasiwimon Janhorm, 50. They all sustained serious injuries and were taken to Phang Nga and and Thap Put hospitals.”
It is not yet know if any charges are to be brought against Mr Arun.