NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Five members of a family, including one boy and two girls, were killed and four men injured in a violent collision between a pickup and a sport utility vehicle in Non Daeng district on Sunday morning.
The accident occurred at about 6.40am between kilometres 127 and 128 on Mitrapap highway near Ban Krok village of tambon Yao Yai, north of Nakhon Ratchasima town.
Anuwat Onnual, 28, the driver of the Isuzu pickup, told police that he and two other male passengers were returning to Bangkok after unloading meatballs in Nong Khai province.
While passing through Non Daeng district, he lost control of the pickup, causing it to swerve across the highway median and collide head-on with an oncoming Toyota SUV. Mr Anuwat admitted he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
Five people in the SUV were killed. They were a boy; 5, two girls, 3 and 11; a 30-year-old woman who was driving; and another woman, about 35. Two men also travelling in the SUV were seriously injured.
Aside from the driver, the two other men who were travelling in the pick-up were also injured.
The injured were separately admitted to Khong, Sida and Non Daeng hospitals, which are located along the Mitrapap highway.
Police said all seven people travelling in the SUV were from the same family. Their identities were not immediately disclosed.
A police investigation was underway.