PATTAYA, Thailand – A Chinese national driving a Mercedes-Benz S-Class with an auctioned license plate ran a red light at the Sukhumvit intersection heading towards Highway 7 in Pattaya. The vehicle lost control and crashed into a median light pole, snapping it in half. The driver and a passenger fled the scene, but security cameras captured the entire incident. Police are now tracking them down for legal action.
At 6:23 AM on April 3, the Na Jomtien Police Station’s radio center received a report of a sedan crashing into a streetlight on the Sukhumvit intersection leading to Highway 7, Pattaya-Map Ta Phut, in Na Jomtien, Sattahip District. Officers were dispatched to investigate.
At the scene, authorities found a heavily damaged Mercedes-Benz S560e, bearing an auctioned license plate 3 Kho Tho 3 Bangkok, wrecked at the median. The impact caused a streetlight to collapse, with debris scattered across the road. Skid marks indicated the car had lost control before the crash. However, no driver was found as they had fled before police arrived.
A roadside vendor who witnessed the incident stated that she heard a loud crash while selling goods. Turning to look, she saw the vehicle had slammed into the streetlight. Shortly after, two Chinese men exited the car and walked across the road. One ran into a wooded area, while the other took off down the street.
“At first, I thought they were looking for a lost pet, but later someone told me they were actually running away. That’s when I found it suspicious,” said the witness.
Security camera footage at the intersection clearly captured the moment of impact, showing the luxury sedan running a red light at high speed before losing control and crashing into the pole. The footage also confirmed the two men inspecting the damage before disappearing.
Na Jomtien police have recorded the incident and arranged for the vehicle to be towed and impounded. They are now working to locate the two Chinese nationals for questioning and to hold them accountable for damaging public property.
