LAMPANG – A viral video has captured a frightening chain crash on the wet Lampang-Phayao highway, where seven vehicles were wrecked after a sudden loss of grip on a slick new road surface. Drivers walked away alive, but several were badly hurt.
The pileup happened at about 2.30 p.m. on a recently resurfaced section near Ban Mae Tha in Mae Tha district. Hot-mix asphalt had been laid only hours earlier. A heavy afternoon downpour turned the fresh surface into a slippery sheet. The road stayed open and traffic moved as usual, despite the clear risk.
Footage shared across social media shows the incident unfolding in seconds. A local villager’s pickup was the first to slide, swerving across the glossy blacktop before spinning around and shooting off the carriageway. It plunged down a steep bank and smashed into roadside trees with a thud.
The situation worsened as drivers behind braked hard and lost control. Six more vehicles were caught up in the chaos. Sedans hydroplaned into the guardrail, a minivan tipped onto its side, and several SUVs skidded into the growing wreck.
No deaths were reported, but at least five people were injured, with fractures and deep cuts among the cases. Lampang Hospital crews airlifted two drivers in critical condition to intensive care.
Among the damaged vehicles was a Channel 7 press car driven by reporter Nattapong Srisuk, who was heading to cover a festival in Phayao. “I saw the truck ahead start sliding, and then everything went black,” Srisuk said from his hospital bed.
“My car spun out and hit a tree. If it weren’t for the seatbelt, I wouldn’t be here talking.”
Villagers accused the contractor and road officials of negligence. Prawit Chanthara, the village headman, said crews should have put up clear warnings. Fresh asphalt mixed with rain is a known hazard, and residents say they have raised concerns about the route before.
The Department of Rural Roads said the resurfacing was routine maintenance. In a statement issued on Tuesday night, a spokesperson said barriers were not considered necessary while the surface was cooling, and confirmed an inquiry into the decision to keep the lane open.
Police have now sealed off the section and are reviewing dashcam footage for possible reckless endangerment charges.
As tow trucks cleared mangled cars under floodlights, officers urged drivers in the area to slow down and stay alert in wet conditions. The viral clip has become a stark warning for motorists on Thailand’s rural highways. Officials pledged tighter safety measures, but for those caught in yesterday’s crash, the damage is already done.
