SURAT THANI — Five on-duty military officers were killed after their van collided with a pickup truck in Khiri Ratthanikhom Monday evening.
The crash occurred at kilometer marker 41 on Surat Thani-Takua Pa Road when a Toyota van carrying five navy sailors was escorting another officer's vehicle.
An Isuzu Chumphon-registered pickup truck, which failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the road median from the opposite lane and slammed into the soldiers' van. The powerful impact left the front and middle sections of the Bangkok-registered van mangled and all the soldiers dead.
The condition of the pickup's driver is not immediately known.
The victims were indentified as Capt Arthip Jitnawa, Capt Sakon Chaiwanon, Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Ronnapob Janpraset, Petty Officer 1st Class Sophon Sripanlom and Petty Officer 1st Class Paradon Noonpakdee.
The entourage was scheduled to visit and inspect operations at joint military Mobile Development Unit 46 of the Armed Forces Development Command in Surat Thani.