Police were called to the scene, in front of the Phuket Spare Parts shop, at 12:45am.
Officers and rescue workers from the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation arrived to find a red and black Honda Forza motorbike, registered in Maha Sarakham, severely damaged in the middle of the road. Debris from the motorcycle was scattered across the area.
About 200 metres from the crash site, the victim’s body was discovered in a gruesome state.
The force of the collision had torn the body into two parts: the lower half was found beneath the light pole, while the upper half had been thrown approximately 60 meters away. The victim’s head remained inside a helmet.
The deceased’s phone was recovered at the scene, displaying text in Russian.
Eyewitnesses reported that the motorbike was travelling at high speed before the rider lost control.
The crash threw the man off the motorbike, causing him to slide along the road before violently colliding with the pole, resulting in instant death.
The man’s body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital while officers reach out to the Russian Embassy to notify the victim’s family and arrange for the remains to be repatriated.
Police said they were investigating the circumstances of the crash and urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads.