Police have charged a man with drink-driving causing death after three people were killed when a car rear-ended their vehicle on the Srirat expressway in Bang Kapi district of Bangkok early Saturday.
The crash occurred at around 1am on an outbound lane of the second-stage expressway above Saen Saeb canal in Hua Mak, said Pol Lt Col Prasit Wirattayaporn, deputy superintendent of the expressway traffic control centre.
Police and rescue workers who rushed to the scene found a Honda sedan with Bangkok licence plates parked in the left lane with its rear badly damaged.
The bodies of a man and two women were found inside. Atchara Khemthong, 30, was at the wheel. The man sitting next to her was Somsak Chamchuri, 44, and on the back seat was Chawaporn Nuansuwan, 30, Thai media reported.
About 10 metres away was a Mercedes-Benz with Bangkok licence plates and the front badly damaged. The driver, Jinthawat Pongpanlee, 33, stood nearby waiting for police.
Thai media later reported he was an online sales coach and executive at a company selling well-known cosmetic products.
Witnesses told police that the Mercedes was heading to the motorway at high speed when it rammed into the Honda.
Police took Mr Jinthawat for questioning and blood alcohol checks. The bodies of the victims were sent to Police General Hospital's forensic institute.
The damaged Mercedes-Benz is seen after the crash. (Photos: @fm91trafficpro Facebook page)
Police later said they had charged Mr Jinthawat with drink-driving causing death after he admitted he had been drinking while having a meal at a restaurant in the Ram Intra area shortly before the collision.
He told officers he did not see the Honda before the crash. He only saw it when it abruptly cut in front of him from another lane. He tried in vain to apply the brakes but it was too late, said Pol Lt Col Prasit, citing the driver’s statement.
A blood test showed a reading of more than 50 milligrammes per decilitre, but not reaching 100 mg/dl, said Pol Lt Col Prasit. Further details could not be revealed as it was in the police investigation report.
By law, a motorist with a blood alcohol level exceeding 50 mg/dl is considered drunk.
Mr Jinthawat sustained some minor injuries but was still able to talk to police.
The deputy superintendent for the traffic control centre said investigators had called Mr Jinthawat to acknowledge the charge. They would also continue to interrogate him and talk to witnesses.
The two cars involved the crash would be examined to determine the collision course and speeds, he said.
Suda Charoenthai, 55, the mother of Honda driver Atchara, met police investigators on Saturday morning.
She said her daughter had three children and had owned the car for about one year. She had no idea where Atchara was going or with whom because she did not stay with her daughter, said Mrs Suda, who lives in Suphan Buri.
The mother said she had not met Mr Jinthawat and would bring the body of her daughter for funeral rites in Sam Chuk district of Suphan Buri.