Van Driver Injured After Crashing into Tree at 143 km/h in Lampang

LAMPANG — 9 September 2026, A van driver was injured after his vehicle veered off a highway and crashed into a tree in the median in Ko Kha district on 9 September 2026. Police said the van had been clocked travelling at 143 kilometres per hour shortly before the crash. Ko Kha police were notified of a van that had crashed into a tree along Phahonyothin Road on the Ko Kha-Sop Prap route at kilometre marker 667, heading toward Lampang city in Na Saeng subdistrict, Ko Kha district. Police coordinated with the Lampang Rescue Association’s Ko Kha unit, which sent an ambulance and rescue personnel to the scene. The vehicle, a white Toyota van with a Samut Sakhon registration plate, had veered into the central median and slammed into a tree. The front of the van was severely crushed, while seats inside the vehicle had been thrown around by the impact. The driver, a man believed to be between 40 and 45 years old, was found lying beside the vehicle. He had suffered a chest injury and appeared drowsy and confused, with difficulty responding coherently to questions. Rescue workers provided first aid before taking him to Ko Kha Hospital for further medical treatment. Police said highway officers had been operating a speed checkpoint at a highway police service unit about 1 kilometre from the crash site before the accident. The officers recorded the van travelling at 143 km/h, but the vehicle did not arrive at the checkpoint despite some time passing. Authorities later received a report that a van had crashed into a tree in the highway median. Officials initially suspected that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel while travelling at high speed, causing him to lose control and crash. However, investigators will examine the crash site and gather evidence to determine the exact cause of the accident.