A delivery rider was killed when a car driver rammed his bike in a road rage incident on Sukhumvit Road in Watthana district of Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon. The driver was subsequently arrested and faces a murder charge.
The victim, identified later as Ritthisak Prakuptanont, 49, was found lying in a pool of blood when police and rescue workers arrived at the scene.
His motorcycle was badly damaged. A Toyota Altis with a broken right side mirror and damage to its front was found nearby, said Pol Lt Jarin Rattanasuwanchai, deputy investigation chief at the Lumpini police station, who was alerted at about half past noon.
Driver Seree Srettheenamwong, 31, the son of a garment shop owner on Sukhumvit Soi 7/1, was arrested at the scene and taken to the Lumpini station.
According to a police investigation and witness accounts, Seree was driving through the Asoke-Sukhumvit intersection and heading for the Ploenchit intersection when his vehicle struck Ritthisak’s motorcycle. The driver did not stop to discuss damage to the delivery rider’s bike and drove away. This prompted the rider to follow the car until it reached the Siam 2 health massage shop.
Ritthisak managed to manoeuvre his bike in front of Seree’s car and force it to stop. He demanded the driver get out of the car to discuss the damage. Seree refused and tried to drive away, but Ritthisak then struck the driver’s side window with his hand two or three times. Seree got out of his car and immediately punched Ritthisak, who fell to the ground. He then stomped on the rider’s body.
The rider managed to get up, mount his bike and escape. But the enraged Seree drove after him and rammed his car into the bike.
Ritthisak was thrown off his bike and his body struck a metal pole for a closed-circuit television camera. He died instantly, police said.
Saijai Tamboon, 40, the wife of the victim, rushed to the scene with her daughter after hearing what happened. They burst into tears when seeing the body of their loved one. The couple had four children aged 8-18 and Ritthisak was the family breadwinner, said Ms Saijai.
She said she wanted police to take drastic action against the driver.
Police initially charged Seree with murder and reckless driving causing death. He was held in police custody for legal action.