NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A man out celebrating his 27th birthday with friends was fatally stabbed while trying to help a woman negotiate with a drunk driver who hit her motorcycle early on Monday.

Witnesses told police that Sawit Maneechai had celebrated his birthday with three friends at a restaurant on Sunday night.

They left the restaurant in a car about 3am, and came across a woman haggling with a motorist who had run into the back of her motorcycle.

Sawit got out of the car and went to help the woman negotiate with the other driver, who appeared to be drunk.

This apparently annoyed the other man and the two got into a fight. Sawit was overpowering his opponent when he was suddenly stabbed in the side by another man. A friend who went to help was also injured. The other men then fled in their car. 

Sawit tried to walk across the road, but collapsed and died. He suffered a fatal stab wound to his left side. His friend received a cut to his face.

Police said the car involved in the incident later hit a traffic island. The driver and owner appeared drunk and was taken to the police station for interrogation.

The alleged knifeman was identified as Juntakan Promana, 24. Police were hunting for him.