KANCHANABURI: A woman was killed and five other Myanmar nationals hurt when a pickup truck they were travelling in rammed into the rear of a truck loaded with wood in Muang district early Wednesday morning.
The fatal crash occurred on Highway 323 in front of the provincial transport office in tambon Kaeng Sian, said Pol Capt Thammawat Sukhueewat, deputy investigation chief at the Muang district police station, who was alerted at about 5.20am.
Police, medical staff and rescue workers found a crashed pickup with Surat Thani licence plates on the footpath with its front badly damaged. One dead woman and five injured people were trapped inside.
The dead woman was seen hugging a six-year-old boy, who was unconscious.
Rescue workers used hydraulic jacks to force open a door of the pickup to retrieve everyone from the wreckage. The injured were rushed to a hospital.
Police found documents showing the passengers were Myanmar migrants with workplaces in Samut Sakhon.
A 10-wheel truck loaded with wood with Nakhon Pathom licence plates was found about 30 metres from the scene with its back badly damaged. Truck driver Chad Bovornthanasarn was awaiting police.
During questioning, Mr Chad said he was driving the truck to transport wood to Ratchaburi. As he approached the Kaeng Sian intersection, he heard a loud crash at the rear of his truck. He believed the pickup driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Video from a surveillance camera showed the pickup truck ramming into the back of the 10-wheeler. The pickup driver did not appear to have applied the brakes.
The driver was later identified as Ka Thet Mon, a Myanmar national. Police plan to question him after his condition improves.
Surveillance video shows a pickup truck ramming into the back of a truck that was heading to the Kaeng Sian intersection in Kanchanaburi province at about 5am on Wednesday.