CHIANG MAI – A serious crash happened early Wednesday morning after a Grab Car reportedly surged forward and slammed into a roadside soy milk stall. The vendor was critically injured, and two Spanish tourists who were riding in the car were also hurt.
Police investigators at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station said they received the report at around 7:40 a.m. on Jan. 28, 2026. The incident took place on the sidewalk along the old city wall near Chiang Mai Gate Market. Patrol officers and rescue workers responded to the scene.
When officers arrived, they found a black MG electric sedan had crashed into a tent-style soy milk stall and then struck a tree on the sidewalk near Chiang Mai Gate. The front of the vehicle was heavily damaged. A parked motorcycle nearby was also damaged.
Rescue workers found a Spanish female tourist with critical injuries. A Spanish male tourist suffered minor injuries. The soy milk vendor, a woman, was also critically injured. All injured people were rushed to Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.
Police took the Grab Car driver, who had minor injuries, to the station for questioning.
A relative of the vendor, identified as her younger brother, told investigators he was with his sister at the stall when the car suddenly veered into their setup. He said he managed to jump out of the way, but his sister could not. The stall was badly damaged.
Police said the driver was given a breath alcohol test, and the result was normal.
Witnesses near Chiang Mai Gate Market told police the same car had earlier sideswiped an ice delivery vehicle, but the other driver did not file a complaint, and both parties separated. Later, the GrabCar arrived to drop off the foreign passengers near the market.
The male passenger reportedly got out first. As the female passenger was stepping out and had not fully cleared the vehicle, the car suddenly accelerated, dragging her and crashing into the soy milk stall.
Investigators believe the driver may have been unfamiliar with the electric vehicle and may have pressed the accelerator by mistake, thinking it was the brake.
Police said they will re-interview those involved, including the Spanish tourists, the vendor, the vendor’s family, the motorcycle owner, and the GrabCar driver, to move forward with the case and insurance-related compensation.
