Kamala Police Chief Pol Col Anurak Prinyasathirakul said 44-year-old pickup driver Phasakorn Athikerd, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, has been formally charged with negligent driving causing death.
“He was summoned to hear the charge and was temporarily released on police bail pending further legal proceedings,” Pol Col Anurak added.
However, Pol Col Anurak did not confirm what bail was set for Phasakorn’s release.
“Investigators are still compiling supporting documents and awaiting the results of certain medical examinations before finalising the case file for submission to the prosecutor,” Pol Col Anurak said. The case remains under investigation.
“Alcohol and drug tests conducted at the scene found no trace of either substance in the driver’s system, and police have found no indication the crash was related to intoxication or drug use,” he noted.
“Relatives of the two victims have met with Phasakorn to discuss compensation. While the families initially requested a substantial amount, the figure has not been disclosed and negotiations remain ongoing,” Pol Col Anurak continued.
“Statutory compensation under the Compulsory Motor Vehicle Insurance Act is being handled by insurers amounting to B500,000, along with an additional B1 million paid by the insurance company in accordance with the law. Any additional compensation will be subject to further negotiation between the driver and the victims’ families,” he said.
No further details of the investigation were forthcoming.
The deadly collision occurred at about 9:30am at Hua Khuan Intersection in Moo 3, Kamala. Officers arriving at the scene found a grey Yamaha NMAX motorbike overturned on the road.
One woman was pronounced dead at the scene. A second was rushed to Patong Hospital, where she later died. Police identified the victims as Janyaporn Kaopattanakit, 45, and Chantra Siriyamon, 33.
Three other vehicles were involved: a Nissan Navara pickup driven by Phasakorn; a Phuket-registered MG VS sedan driven by a 41-year-old foreign national; and a Phuket-registered Toyota van driven by a 37-year-old Thai man.
Police said the pickup was travelling from Thalang toward Kamala and failed to stop at the intersection, striking the motorbike positioned behind a van waiting at a red light.
The driver, Phasakorn, told police he fell asleep at the wheel due to work-related exhaustion.
The deaths of Ms Janyaporn and Ms Chantra have deeply shaken the Kamala community, with an outpouring of condolences and tributes posted online.
According to national road safety agency Thai RSC, 24 people already have died in accidents on Phuket’s roads since the start of the year, with a further 5,207 people injured.
A total of 81 people were injured in road accidents on the island yesterday alone (Feb 23), Thai RSC reports.