Unattended Truck Stolen, Leads to Multi-Vehicle Crash in Chumphon

A man described as having impaired mental faculties allegedly stole an unattended pallet truck and drove it more than 40 kilometers before crashing into two other trailer trucks on Thursday in Chumphon province, southern Thailand. The incident occurred around 13:50 on Asian Highway 41, heading towards Bangkok, near kilometre marker 92/600 in Suan Taeng subdistrict, Lamae district. Police and rescue workers rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a multi-vehicle collision involving three trailer trucks and several injured people. The scene was chaotic, with vehicle wreckage and debris scattered across the road. The first vehicle, a white Hino oil palm trailer truck registered in Surat Thani, suffered a massive impact that tore the cab away from the truck. The cab was thrown into a roadside ditch, while the truck and trailer overturned across the road. The second vehicle, a white Hino empty car carrier registered in Bangkok, overturned with its cab in a ditch. Its trailer was also detached and partially submerged in a roadside ditch. The third vehicle, a white Isuzu pallet truck registered in Nakhon Sawan, which police identified as the vehicle that caused the crash, came to a stop blocking the road, with its cab plunged into a roadside ditch. Good Samaritans and rescue workers rushed all three drivers to Lamae Hospital with injuries to their ribs and bodies caused by the impact. The injured drivers were identified as Kiattisak Yangmee, 32, who was driving the oil palm truck; Boonchuay Isarapap, 55, who was driving the car carrier; and Nattanon Daengkanit, 27, who was driving the pallet truck. Police said their initial investigation revealed that the pallet truck had originally been parked on the side of Asian Highway 41 in Tha Chana district, Surat Thani, while its actual driver stopped to have a meal. The driver reportedly left the vehicle with the key still in the ignition. Nattanon, who was described as having impaired mental faculties, allegedly spotted the unattended truck, climbed inside, started the engine and drove away at high speed towards the north along Asian Highway 41. After travelling more than 40 kilometres, the truck entered Lamae district in Chumphon, where it reportedly lost control and collided with the two other trailer trucks travelling along the highway. The impact caused extensive damage, with the truck cabs torn apart and debris scattered across the road. Police documented the scene, conducted an investigation and had all three wrecked vehicles towed to Lamae Police Station. A preliminary urine test at Lamae Hospital found no traces of drugs in Nattanon’s system. Police have sent a request for further blood testing to determine his blood alcohol level. Police will wait for his injuries to improve before questioning him and determining the appropriate charges over the alleged vehicle theft and crash. The post Man steals unattended truck, crashes into two others in Chumphon appeared first on Khaosod English.