Two foreign tourists were injured after a multi-vehicle crash at a high-risk U-turn on the Cha-am–Pranburi bypass road, southbound, in Cha-am district, police said on Tuesday.
The accident, involving eight vehicles, occurred at a U-turn in front of the Fandee Hotel and caused traffic to back up for several kilometres before authorities cleared the scene.
Eight vehicles involved at known accident black spot
Officers from Cha-am Police Station were alerted to the collision on Tuesday afternoon and coordinated with ambulances from Cha-am Hospital, volunteers from the Sawang Sanphet Thammasathan rescue foundation, and highway police rescue units.
At the scene, a white Toyota with red temporary licence plates was found heavily damaged. A male and female foreign tourist inside the car were injured and trapped. Rescue workers used hydraulic cutting equipment to free them before transferring both to hospital for treatment.
Nearby, a pickup truck carrying vegetables had overturned on the roadside, its front end badly damaged and windscreen shattered. The driver was identified as Thanaphat Ruearang from Chaiyaphum province. Several other vehicles were also damaged, including a white Mazda saloon, a bronze-silver Toyota Camry, a bronze-silver Isuzu extended-cab pickup, and another Isuzu vegetable truck.
Police said six vehicles were initially involved. During traffic clearance operations, two 10-wheel trucks later collided in the congestion, bringing the total number of vehicles involved to eight.
The crash caused severe congestion on the southbound bypass, with traffic backing up for several kilometres. Police and rescue teams managed traffic and removed damaged vehicles, restoring normal conditions after more than an hour.
Thanaphat said he had been travelling from Ratchaburi to deliver vegetables to Surat Thani when the crash occurred. As he approached the U-turn, he slowed and braked, swerving left. Another vegetable truck travelling alongside him in the right lane also braked. At that moment, he said, a saloon car carrying the injured tourists cut across from a side lane at close range. Due to the heavy load, he was unable to stop in time, triggering a chain collision.
The U-turn in front of the hotel is widely regarded by local residents as a dangerous accident spot, with repeated crashes reported in the past. Residents are again calling on the Cha-am Highway District and the Department of Highways to take urgent action to improve safety and prevent further accidents.
Source: Hua Hi Today