Six elderly Thais have been killed in a collision with a soldier’s pickup truck in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, this morning. The soldier – the one person to survive the crash – was carrying 257 sleeves of illegal cigarettes which he attempted to hide in the woods close by.
Six elderly Thais dressed in traditional outfits were on their approach to set up a shrine in a Toyota pickup truck with a Khon Kaen registration after they collided with an Isuzu D-Max pickup truck pushed by 29 yr previous Sgt. Peerapong, a soldier under Suranaree Camp in Korat, alongside the Chokhai – Detch Udom Highway 24.
Four elderly girls and one aged man died at the scene and the sixth victim, an elderly man, was seriously injured and later passed away on the hospital.
The deceased embrace 83 yr outdated Lamai Ruangmanee, seventy six year previous Thongarb Chuangchai, fifty six yr old Uthuan Suriyayen, 56 year old Bonting Kulnara, sixty seven 12 months outdated Uthai Losuwan, and fifty two 12 months previous Chong Khaopow.
A pal of the victims, 75 year old Prathuan, mentioned one of many deceased was a folks healer. Illusive was on their way to set up a shrine, he stated. After that, they planned on visiting Prathuan’s sick spouse however by no means arrived.
The soldier stated he was driving in the proper lane on the way home to Korat from Ubon Ratchathani when he suddenly lost management and crashed. He stated he doesn’t know who crashed into who.
Officers from Chaloem Phrakiat Police Station returned to the location of the accident to find a lot of illegal cigarettes smuggled from abroad hidden in the woods. The police invited excise officials from Prakhon Chai to examine the cigarettes.
Excise counted 2,570 packets of unlawful cigarettes from overseas, or 257 sleeves, hidden within the woods. The cigarettes matched with cigarettes found beneath the wreckage of the soldier’s pickup..