Motorcyclists avoiding checkpoint killed by pickup

Motorcyclists avoiding checkpoint killed by pickup

Police and rescue workers inspect the scene of the accident in which a pickup truck hit a motorcycle, killing three youths apparently trying to do a U-turn on a one-way road at the entrance to a road tunnel in downtown Chiang Mai early Friday. (Photo by Chiang Mai rescue workers club facebook)
Police and rescue workers inspect the scene of the accident in which a pickup truck hit a motorcycle, killing three youths apparently trying to do a U-turn on a one-way road at the entrance to a road tunnel in downtown Chiang Mai early Friday. (Photo by Chiang Mai rescue workers club facebook)

Three young men on a motorcycle died when they apparently tried to U-turn at a tunnel entrance to avoid a police checkpoint and were hit by a pickup truck following behind, in Chiang Mai in the early hours of Friday.

The accident happened at the entrance to Khuang Singh tunnel in downtown Chiang Mai and was reported to police about 3am, said Pol Maj Sathichai Nittayawan, a duty officer at Chang Phuek police station.

Police and rescue workers reported finding a damaged pickup truck with a Bangkok licence plate and a  wrecked motorcycle on the road.

The bodies of the motorcycle driver and two pillion riders were nearby. Two of them were later identified as Solos Jinthana, 20, and Kriangkrai Sriwichai, 20.

Paithoon Mundee, 38, driver of the pickup truck, said he was travelling along Superhighway Road heading to Khuang Singh tunnel when a motorcycle travelling in front of him suddenly changed direction.

He could not avoid hitting the bike head-on, Mr Paithoon said. It was raining and visibility was poor at the time, he told police.

Police speculated the young men were trying to avoid a nearby alcohol breath-testing checkpoint outside Lanna Hospital and return back the way they came when they were hit by the truck. The road into the tunnel is one-way at that point.

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