Seven people were severely injured in Chiang Mai after a passenger van descending Doi Inthanon mountain crashed into two vehicles and then careened into a roadside ditch.
Chiang Mai police reported receiving a report at approximately 10:00 a.m. on Sunday of a traffic accident on the road going down Doi Inthanon to Chom Thong District in Chiang Mai Province. The incident occurred before the entrance to Wachirathan Waterfall.
When officers arrived at the accident scene, they found a damaged white Pajero parked in the middle of the road. A white pickup truck crashed and overturned in the ditch, and the passenger van completely mangled in a roadside ditch.
Facebook users said the passenger van descended the mountain rapidly before it crashed into the Pajero with great force. This caused the Pajero to spin and hit the steel barrier on the roadside before it stopped in the middle of the road.
The van then crashed into a white pickup truck, which crashed off the side of the road, hitting a tree and flipping upside down.
Then, the van hit an electric pole on the side of the road, lost control, and crashed.
Four people were found seriously injured in the passenger van, including the driver. The Pajero driver and the pickup truck driver were also seriously injured. Rescue workers transported all the injured people to Chom Thong Hospital in Chiang Mai.
Police said they were continuing their investigation and were gathering statements from witnesses and the injured parties. Once their investigation was complete, they would press charges.
The passenger van driver is facing charges of reckless driving and negligence, causing serious bodily injury. The punishment is up to three years in prison, a fine of up to six thousand Baht, or both.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
