UPDATE: Kamala Police later confirmed the victims’ names as Janyaporn Kaopattanakit, 45, and Chantra Siriyamon, 33, who later died at Patong Hospital.
Kamala Police were called to the scene, the Hua Khuan intersection in Moo 3, Kamala, at about 9:30am.
Officers arrived to find a grey Yamaha NMAX motorbike overturned on the road. One Thai woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while another woman riding the motorbike sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital, where she later died.
Police are in the process of confirming the identities of both victims.
Three other vehicles were involved in the collision: a Nissan Navara pickup truck registered in Nakhon Sri Thammarat driven by 44-year-old Phasakorn Athikerd, a Phuket-registered MG VS sedan driven by foreign national Yan Ji, 41 (confirmed by police only as ‘non-Thai’); and a Phuket-registered Toyota van driven by 37-year-old Chawalit Muensingh.
Initial investigations found that the pickup truck was travelling from Thalang towards Kamala. When it reached the intersection, it just missed the Toyota van*, which was stopped at a red light, but slammed straight through the twqo women on the motorbike before striking the other vehicles.
The out-of-control pickup also hit the motorbike, killing the two women riding it.
The pickup driver, Mr Phasakorn, told police he fell asleep at the wheel.
Police conducted alcohol tests on all three drivers at the scene, with results showing zero alcohol in their systems.
Investigators photographed the scene and are reviewing CCTV footage from the area. Witnesses are being questioned as police continue to gather evidence to determine the exact cause of the crash and proceed with legal action against those responsible, Kamala Police reported.
Kamala Police urged drivers to ensure they are properly rested before driving, warning that fatigue can be just as dangerous as drink-driving.
* Correction: The pickup did not hit the van waiting at the red light.