Lt Ranaphum Permphoon of the Phuket City Police was notified of the accident at 10:50pm.
The men were heading southbound when they drove into the wayward livestock at speed, Lt Ranaphum explained.
“Both of them were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, but one of them – the driver – was pronounced dead from his injuries at 12:15am,” he told The Phuket News.
“The other man he has chest injuries and his injuries to his leg, but somehow did not have any broken bones,” he added.
“We tried speaking with this man, but we have found it very difficult to understand him. At this stage we still do not know his name, or the name of his friend who has died,” Lt Ranaphum said.
“Neither man was carrying identification, too,” he added.
“However, we will keep trying to find out exactly what happened so his friends and relatives can be informed, and so we can complete our report,” Lt Ranaphum said.
“But the cow is fine,” he added.