Road accidents serve a warning

Several recent accidents, resulting in at least two deaths, have highlighted the dangers of driving on Phuket’s roads when visiting the holiday island. While statistics are similar to the rest of Thailand, it does result in many foreigners not making it home alive during their vacation.

On Wednesday evening a 25 year old Russian women died when the vehicle she was travelling in rolled at a trecherous bend in Thepkrasattri Rd in Baan Makprok area. A second passenger is in critical condition in hospital.

Separately a German national, Werner Theisen, was instantly killed when his vehicle collided head on with a pickup truck he was trying to avoid. According to Pol Lt Col Jamroon Plaiduang from Thalang Police Station and eye witnesses, the pickup had been illegally travelling in the wrong lane while overtaking dangerously, this forced Mr Theisen to swerve out the way and he brushed an oncoming vehicle, lost control and hit the pickup head on. The driver of the offending vehicle was not injured.

An American man was also hospitalised with serious injuries after the motorcycle he was riding he collided with the back of pickup causing other vehicles to collide while trying to avoid the accident. No one was killed although four vehicles where badly damaged as a result.

Road accidents are fairly common in Thailand due to reckless driving and poor road safety law enforcement. Foreigners are regularly involved in accidents with a significant number of fatalities each year.