When their vehicle rear-ended a trailer while heading from Chonburi to Chanthaburi province for a work permit extension at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 8th, four minivan passengers perished instantly, while another four reportedly died later at a hospital.
At the accident site near kilometer marker 82+500 on Highway 7 inbound to Pattaya in the Nong Khang Khok sub-district of Chonburi’s Mueang district, four passengers were pronounced dead on impact. Four others died later at a local hospital, and numerous others were injured. According to reports, up to nineteen passengers were riding in the same compact minivan.
According to Thai media, three of the fatalities were females, one of whom was pregnant. Mr. Pattaradej Kaew-in, 55, was the minivan driver who died. All of the deceased were Cambodian and Burmese laborers who were visiting Chanthaburi province to renew their work licenses. The van was totally full, prompting some on social media to question why so many passengers were riding in the same vehicle.
The tragedy happened at dawn when the minivan they were riding in rear-ended a trailer. The bumper of the van was severely damaged. Mr. Sayen Palaphon, 50, of Thailand, who was unharmed, told local media that he was attempting to ascend a slope with his fully loaded vehicle when the minivan rear-ended him. He assumed the driver had slept off behind the wheel.
Chonburi Police are investigating the reason of this unfortunate accident by reviewing CCTV footage from the route.
