Qatari motorist, 74, dies in truck crash at U-turn slot

A Qatari tourist was killed in a truck crash at a U-turn in Thailand.

The motoris Gbrd Holgbr Mrrnl, 74, abruptly switched lanes and was hit by an oncoming pickup truck along a road in Chonburi province on August 22.

Bang Lamung Police Station officials said they received a report at 6pm local time.

They inspected the scene where a black Honda ADV motorcycle was lying on its side on the road shoulder. A white Toyota Revo pickup truck was parked nearby and its Thai driver, Ekkarat Phunuchsarika, 25, was waiting to be questioned by police.

He reportedly told the cops he was driving on the right lane when the motorcycle rider suddenly cut in front of him to go through the U-turn slot.

He said: 'He changed lanes so suddenly that I had no time to react. After the crash, I tried to call for a rescue team, but his injuries were too severe.'

Police Captain Janda Dermpan of the Bang Lamung Police Station said: ‘We have taken photos of the scene and collected the vehicle's dashcam footage as evidence. We will proceed with legal action to ensure fairness for both sides.'

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.

However, a lack of road safety education in schools along with notoriously easy driving tests, police failures to enforce road laws, and chronic under-investment in infrastructure, all appear to hamper the efforts.