Lt Col Prasit Ra-ob of the Chalong Police was notified of the accident at 4:50am.
Arriving at the scene with rescue workers, officers found Wassana "Jul" Bangachak, 19, already dead.
Her two female friends, Ratchanee Lakkoh, 22, and Kanlaya Chiewchan, 25, were rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town for treatment of their injuries sustained in the crash.
Police confirmed that no helmets were found at the scene.
Col Prasit reported that the young women were travelling on the one black Honda wave motorbike at speed when it struck the back of a company pickup truck parked beside the road.
The initial accident report noted that the three women were travelling from an entertainment venue in Chalong to Rawai – but failed to note from which entertainment venue the women had just left.
The report did note that police had requested for the two surviving women and the body of Ms Wassana to be tested for alcohol.
A senior-ranking officer at the Chalong Police, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Phuket News that at this stage police were not sure which of the women was driving the motorbike at the time of the accident.
Police also had yet to question the two surviving women, whose injuries were described as serious.
“Police believe they were drunk. Officers have requested the hospital to check for alcohol in their blood. Also, police cannot confirm who was the driver and who were passengers,” the officer said.
The officer also refused to identify which entertainment venue the three women had left.
“It is under investigation now. They did not work there, they just hung out there,” he said.
“Both (surviving) ladies are not ready to speak. The condition of their injuries is serious,” the officer added.