Road Safety Officials Investigate Accident Hotspot in Phan, Chiang Rai

Road Safety Officials Investigate Accident Hotspot in Phan, Chiang Rai CHIANG RAI – Local officials are taking strong action after a severe car crash. On July 10, 2026, the Chiang Rai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office joined a special safety team. They visited a known danger zone in Phan District to find out why a car hit a power pole. This serious crash left four people badly hurt and shocked the local community. The scary crash happened late at night on June 19, 2026. A grey Honda Accord was driving on the outbound lanes of Phahonyothin Road. Near the Ban Mae Khao Ton area, the driver lost control and smashed into the central island. Emergency workers rushed the four injured people to the nearby hospital. A large group of local leaders gathered to look at the crash site. This included public health workers, disaster experts, and hospital staff. They carefully checked the area for any hidden dangers. They noted the weather was clear and the road was well-lit at the time. Warning signs and blinking lights were also working perfectly. However, locals know this specific spot on the highway is very dangerous. Accidents happen here all the time, prompting urgent calls for better safety rules. Investigators found some worrying clues about the driver. The group had just left a local restaurant in the San Klang area. Rescuers noted a strong smell of alcohol, pointing to possible drunk driving. The team also believes the driver was going way too fast. They could not find any brake marks on the road surface. This shows the driver did not try to stop before the heavy impact. Fast driving limits a driver’s chance to avoid sudden crashes. The car involved was an older grey Honda Accord. Thankfully, the car’s airbags deployed right on time during the crash. Officials are still checking if the passengers wore their seatbelts. You can learn more about general road safety data from the Thai Road Safety Center. The exact blood alcohol results are still pending from the lab. But the main theory blames dangerous driving habits. Fast driving and late-night drinking are always a deadly mix on the roads. The Phan District safety team wants to stop this from happening again. They have shared a solid plan to fix the dangerous road design. The local highway department will change the intersection and U-turn spots at Mae Khao Ton. This big road update is set to happen in the year 2027. Drivers often go the wrong way here, making severe crashes very likely. Changing the road layout should fix this bad habit and save many lives. Local village leaders are stepping up their safety game, too. The San Klang office plans to put three new security cameras in every local village. They also asked the traffic police to patrol more often at night. Police will strictly crack down on wrong-way drivers and drunk driving. The official report will go to the provincial safety board very soon. They hope these simple changes will finally make Phan District roads safe for everyone.