Excessive alcohol was determined as the cause of this fatal accident on
Sukhumvit Road Soi 54.
Boonlua Chatree
A motorbike taxi driver was killed when a drunk
driver crashed into his motorcycle and narrowly missed a police
officer’s bike.
Police and Sawang Boriboon Foundation medics were
called to Sukhumvit Road Soi 54 around 5:30 a.m. Jan. 9. Dead at the
scene was Chalerm Ubonpho, 51, who had suffered a fatal skull fracture.
He had not been wearing a helmet.
Chalerm’s motorbike was hit by a Mitsubishi Lancer
driven by 34-year-old Kriangkrai Changsawang, who was found to be
inebriated. The car, which had smashed into a fence, was totally
destroyed, but the drunk driver escaped with just minor injuries.
A second motorcycle, belonging to Sgt. Maj. Nopadon
Lunbut, a patrol officer at Banglamung Police Station, was also lying
damaged nearby.
Nopadon said he’d been on patrol when Kriangkrai’s
Lancer came at him and Chalerm at high speed. The policeman managed to
veer onto Soi 54, where he crashed, but the taxi driver wasn’t as lucky.
The Lancer squarely hit the rear of Chalerm’s bike, vaulting the driver
into the air. He smashed his head on Kriangkrai’s car and died.
The drunk driver was charged with vehicular
manslaughter and drunk driving.
