A university lecturer pulled to safety from his fiercely burning car by two policemen after rear-ending a pickup truck on Wednesday morning later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
The black Nissan Teana driven by Ratthakan Komolrat, 40, a lecturure at Mahidol University, ran into the back of a blue Isuzu D-Max pickup.
The accident occurred about 10.45am in Bangkok Noi district on the outbound side of the elevated Boromratchonnanee Road, above Chao Phraya Hospital.
The car then caught fire. Mr Ratthakan was trapped inside, his legs stuck under the steering wheel and unable to open the car door.
Pol Sen Sgt Maj Wuthichai Paengsakol, from a local police station, and Pol Capt Saranpong Onsing, a highway officer from Nakhon Pathom province, both rushed to help as the flames intensified.
Pol Capt Saranpong was passing by on the other side of the road on his way to arrange a royal motorcade in Bangkok.
Using a hammer provided by a passer-by, they broke the driver's side window and hauled the injured man out of the car just before it was engulfed in flames.
Mr Ratthakan was taken to Chao Phraya Hospital.
Pol Col Nattanan Muangngam of the Traffic Police Division said he was informed by the hospital that the lecturer died from his injuries, without recovering consciousness, at 2pm.
The driver of the pickup suffered a cut on his head and was also taken to Chao Phraya Hospital.
He would be questioned and police would take legal action, Pol Col Nattanan said. The man's name was not disclosed.