Lt Col Suttipong Todsong of the Khok Khoi Police was notified of an accident at Baan Ton Sae Moo 8, Petchkasem Rd southbound in Takua Thung near the entrance to 360º Andaman Viewpoint at 5:10am today (Mar 21).
Kusoldarm rescue workers and Loma (Phang Nga) rescue workers arrived at the scene to find a 10-wheeled Songkhla-registered truck with its rear-end damaged.
A Phuket-registered minivan emblazoned with "Chaweewan Prueksakit" was found 100 metres away from the truck with its front end severely smashed.
A power pole was lying on the ground in front of the damaged minivan.
Inside the minivan were three injured persons named by police as Linda Malin Christin Ivansson, 44, from Sweden, who had sustained medium injuries.; the minivan driver, Attanai Srijan, 25, from Songkhla; and tour guide Boworn Kornsombat, 29, from Narathiwat, who was stuck in the minivan.
Both Mr Attanai and Mr Boworn had sustained only minor injuries.
However, additional Kusoldharm rescue workers were called to the scene to free Mr Boworn from the wreckage using hydraulic cutters.
All injured parties were taken to Takua Thung Hospital. Ms Ivansson and Mr Boworn were later transferred to Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
The truck driver, Jaran Noonrod, 58, from Songkhla, told The Phuket News from the scene, “I was driving from Surat Thani to Phuket to deliver drinks to a store. When I was driving on the left lane, I heard a noise from the back of the truck. I stopped the truck on the side of the road and found the minivan had hit the back of the truck. Then I called for help."
Col Suttipong said, “There were nine people in the minivan, seven of them were Swedish tourists and two of them were the driver and a tour guide. They were heading from Phang Nga to Phuket International Airport.
“The minivan hit the back of the truck and then hit the power pole.
“We are continuing our investigation to identify the cause of the accident. Six of the tourists have already been taken to the airport by a tour company,” he said.