A pickup truck hit a German couple crossing a pedestrian crossing with their baby in Phang Nga province in southern Thailand.
The tourist couple, who were traveling with their one-year-old child, were seriously injured, but fortunately the baby escaped unharmed.
The accident occurred on Phetkasem Road around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15.
The three victims are believed to be German nationals: Phillip, 34, Linda, 32, and their child.
The driver of the pickup taxi, identified as Choei, 60, remained at the scene to wait for police after the accident.
Shocking dashcam footage from a vehicle that stopped to let the family cross shows the couple crossing the zebra crossing with a pram, followed by Choei's pickup truck hitting both parents as the pram with the baby continued on its way.
A still from a car's dash cam video showing the taxi pickup hitting the German couple on April 15, 2025.
One might wonder why he didn't slow down when he saw another vehicle stopped, but unfortunately this is common behavior on the 4-lane roads in Thailand.
For some drivers (or rather reckless drivers) it's up to pedestrians to pay attention, not them, when they drive at high speed.
Phang Nga Tourism Business Association President Lertsak Ponklin shared the video on Facebook .
He wrote in the description:
"I can't accept this.
As a father myself, I want to speak out.
Be more careful.
In this case, a foreign couple and their young child were hit by a car while crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing in Takua Pa district, Phang Nga.
Emergency services are currently trying to save the couple's lives.
Their child is fortunately safe and sound.”
According to Lertsak, this was not the first accident to occur at this location.
He said incidents were reported there almost every week.
Despite attempts by local authorities to resolve the problem, the danger persists, as pedestrians do not always use the crosswalk and drivers often drive at high speed in the area.
Lertsak urged motorists to reduce their speed in the area, which is popular with locals and tourists, and called on drivers to stop to let pedestrians cross safely.
The German couple are said to be in critical condition, but no further information about their condition has been released to the public.
Police did not disclose what action was taken against the pickup driver.
However, based on similar cases in the past, he could be charged under Section 300 of the Thai Penal Code for committing a reckless act that caused serious injury to another person.
The driver faces up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 6,000 baht (158 euros), or both.
Pedestrian crossings are not a guarantee of safety in Thailand
A Chinese tourist died after being run over by a pickup truck in Samut Prakan while crossing a pedestrian crossing on March 1, 2024. Photo taken from CCTV.
Thailand's roads are particularly dangerous, and while foreign travelers may think that pedestrian crossings are safe places to cross, like in their own countries, this is not the case.
When you cross a road at a crossing, you should not assume that cars will automatically stop, you should check if one or more vehicles are approaching at high speed and if so, it is better to wait.
And, as in this case, if a vehicle stops, you have to check that another vehicle is not arriving on the other lane at high speed!
It was not practical for the couple to do with the pram and luggage, and the fact that the first car had stopped must have reassured them.
On April 2, 2025, a French tourist was killed on a pedestrian crossing in Kanchanaburi.
See: Thailand: French tourist killed on pedestrian crossing in Kanchanaburi
In March 2024, a Chinese tourist was run over at a pedestrian crossing.
See: Tourist crushed to death on pedestrian crossing in Thailand
In January 2022, a young Thai doctor was killed at a pedestrian crossing by a police officer on a motorcycle.
See: Why are Thailand's roads among the deadliest in the world?
And these are just a few stories that appeared in the press, there are unfortunately many more.
In the face of numerous tragedies, the new points-based license system that came into effect on January 9, 2023, has increased penalties for drivers who do not respect pedestrian crossings.
See: 4,000 baht fine for failure to stop at pedestrian crossings in Thailand
Drivers who fail to stop for pedestrians are liable to a maximum fine of 4,000 baht (105.75 euros) and the immediate deduction of one point from their driving licence.
However, very often, bad drivers are given the choice between a fine and punishment or paying a bribe to the police, so the new laws cannot make Thailand's roads safer.
Source: The Thaiger
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8 comments
So, since the Thai authorities cannot find a solution by stirring up their neurons to make drivers and reckless drivers slow down when approaching pedestrian crossings, I suggest, as we do, placing BEFORE and AFTER the pedestrian crossing from 30 meters on either side and ACROSS THE ENTIRE WIDTH of the road (to avoid driving in a "zig-zag") 5 speed bumps in the style of half-round reinforced concrete curbs, 8 to 10 cm high at their top, painted fluorescent red, visible at night under headlights (some of them still have to turn on their headlights) the first curb 30 meters from the pedestrian crossing, the second 20 meters, the third 10 meters and the last two respectively 6 and 2 meters from the protected crossing.
This would slow down cars considerably and would also wake up those who fall asleep at the wheel...
On the other hand, placing these speed bumps across the entire width of the road would avoid the driver's temptation to accelerate as soon as the wheels of his vehicle touch the pedestrian zone.
A sign warning of the “speed bump” must be placed on each side of the direction of travel 5 meters before the first section of the speed bump, i.e. 35 meters from the pedestrian crossing...
In addition to being efficient, it is the least expensive system and requires the least maintenance...
So, ladies and gentlemen responsible for the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Districts and Police Forces...
Now that you have been given the solution, carry out tests at several pedestrian crossings in your municipality and you will see the results visually by placing police officers who will report, which could allow you, depending on the particular situation of the places, to adapt the distance between the speed bumps and possibly add some if necessary...
Get to work, gentlemen!!!
Mr. HANSSON, if I may respond to your comment, do you really think that the government or those responsible will react and put in place speed bumps?
I am sure and certain that nothing will be done as with practically everything that should be done, I am an expatriate like you and I see the same idiots every day on the road whether on two wheels or in a car, the only word, they have no manners, they have no culture.
It's when they listen to this so-called music, I personally call it noise, nothing but bass, so their brains???? it's liquid, but I like Thailand and Asia, so I stay.
As long as there are no strong penalties to enforce basic traffic rules, this will continue.
Unfortunately, believing that a pedestrian crossing offers any safety in Thailand is a sometimes fatal mistake.
We see from this story that it was even the pedestrian crossing that caused their accident.
As the first car stopped for them, they continued without thinking that in the next lane, the driver did not have the same notion of the car-pedestrian relationship as the previous one.
Without a pedestrian crossing, they would probably have waited until there were no more cars before crossing.
During my first trips to Thailand, I almost got run over several times by cars on pedestrian crossings.
It's frightening to see that a car coming from a distance and which has plenty of time to see us doesn't brake, some even tend to accelerate in front of this affront (forcing them to brake)!
Similarly, there have been several times when I have stopped my motorcycle to let pedestrians cross in tourist areas and seen other motorcycles speeding past behind me as people were crossing.
That's why when you see pedestrians waiting to cross, it's better to slow down for safety and go through without stopping, especially if they are tourists who don't know that Thai people are real crazy drivers.
All these influencers/YouTubers who praise Thailand as a safe country, where one feels safe compared to Western countries: "there, you don't get attacked, raped or killed by ******"... perhaps, but isn't the probability of being killed as a pedestrian or scooter rider ultimately much higher than the probability of being attacked in France?
In the end, we replace one insecurity with another, more easily accepted, but more dangerous in practice...
I completely agree with you.
I divide my time between Bangkok and Paris (3-4 months a year) and I don't feel particularly unsafe in France (it's true that I avoid certain places).
I do not deny the security problems we have in France.
However, I do not consider Thailand a safe country.
There is this road insecurity which causes 20,000 deaths per year, we are at the mercy of laws which are constantly changing (it is a form of insecurity), in the event of a conflict with a local, we are very often the losers, a good number of foreigners die in dubious circumstances, without the police carrying out a thorough investigation (all the guys who go through the window in seaside resorts) etc… do not forget that proportionally, there are more homicides in Thailand than in France.
This part of the world is a strange mixture, between something extremely polite, very refined – I'm thinking of the gastronomy, the architecture, the sense of hospitality – and something else, less visible no doubt, but very brutal.
The rules as we knew them in France do not apply in Thailand.
When you see how you get a license here, you understand.
The only watchword: always watch, never trust, even if the first car stops, never...
And the so-called sanctions are absolutely useless, people have been trained to drive this way and don't know any other way, Thais drive like this.
Thailand is not just the land of smiles.
It is also a country where basic education is dramatically neglected.
Driving licenses are given to people who cannot read or write, with the direct consequence of a shocking number of accidents and deaths.
It is time to look beyond the clichés and question collective responsibilities.