CHIANG MAI – A 33-year-old man died in a serious Big Bike motorcycle crash on Saturday in Chiang Mai’s Doi Saket district. The accident happened when the rider lost control of his large motorcycle and hit a metal roadside barrier. The impact killed him and set the bike on fire.
The crash took place at 12.43 pm on the Chiang Rai-Doi Saket road, close to Ban Pa Daeng village. Police and a doctor from Doi Saket Hospital arrived quickly after getting the call.
Rescue crews from the Sawang Samret Chiang Mai Foundation were already working to put out the fire with chemical agents. The motorcycle was destroyed.
The man has been identified as Kritsada Ketprasatkon, aged 33. He died at the scene, suffering severe injuries, including decapitation caused by the collision with the steel guardrail.
Police believe he lost control while going around a curve, which caused the bike to leave the road and crash. Investigations into the exact cause of the accident are ongoing.
Authorities sent Kritsada’s body to Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital for a post-mortem. Family members have been contacted and are preparing funeral arrangements in line with local customs.
Big Bike Accidents in Thailand
Motorcycle accidents, including those involving “big bikes” (typically motorcycles with engines 400cc or larger), are a significant issue in Thailand due to the country’s high road traffic fatality rates and the prevalence of two-wheeled vehicles.
Thailand has one of the highest road traffic death rates globally, with motorcycles accounting for over 80% of road crash fatalities. Approximately 36 people die daily in motorcycle-related accidents, with the majority involving scooters or smaller bikes, but big bikes are increasingly involved in high-profile crashes due to their power and speed.
The use of big bikes (e.g., Yamaha R1, Honda CBR, Ducati) has grown in Thailand, particularly among tourists and expatriates, but also among locals in urban and tourist areas like Phuket, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai. These bikes, with larger engines, are more powerful and can reach higher speeds, increasing the risk of severe accidents.
In January 2025, Corey Beavis, a 28-year-old British tourist, died in Phuket after crashing a big bike into a barrier without a helmet, highlighting the dangers of inexperience and lack of protective gear.
In March 2024, a horrific crash in Rawai, Phuket, involved a big Yamaha big bike ridden by a Russian national colliding with a Honda Click, resulting in three deaths (two foreigners and one Thai woman) and one serious injury. The crash was attributed to high speed, causing an explosion and fire.
