Teenager Critically Injured After U-Turn Collision in Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI, Thailand – A 15-year-old girl remains in critical condition after a motorcycle carrying two students crashed into a car that reportedly made an abrupt U-turn across a solid double line on Highway 118 in Wiang Pa Pao district. The crash occurred on September 18 in front of Pa Ngio Fresh Market in Pa Ngio subdistrict, where the two students were travelling to school before joining a school trip to Chiang Mai. The motorcycle, a grey-and-black Honda, was being ridden by a 14-year-old boy from Tha Ko subdistrict in Mae Suai district, with 15-year-old Sutthida, known as Nong Khao Hom, riding pillion. According to the report, the road in front of the market is a straight two-lane section with a solid double centre line and is not designated as a turning or U-turn point. A Toyota sedan driven by a 56-year-old woman, identified as Sriwan, reportedly slowed near the roadside before suddenly making a U-turn across the road. The motorcycle was unable to stop in time and crashed heavily into the middle of the car. Three people were injured in the collision, including the sedan driver and both teenagers on the motorcycle. Police from Wiang Pa Pao Police Station inspected the scene, collected evidence and reviewed CCTV footage. Rescue workers transported the injured sedan driver to Wiang Pa Pao Hospital, while the two teenagers were taken to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital because of the severity of their injuries. Sutthida suffered severe head trauma and underwent emergency brain surgery. She remains in critical condition. The 14-year-old motorcycle rider suffered a broken leg and remains under hospital care. The families of the two teenagers have expressed deep concern over the incident and are seeking responsibility from the other party as they await further developments in the case.