CHIANG RAI, THAILAND – A truck from the Mae Sai road construction office veered off the road and overturned near Chiang Rai, injuring seven workers. The accident occurred on April 28, 2026, at 4:15 p.m. in front of the Kiu Thap Yang checkpoint in Mae Chan district. All seven injured were taken to a hospital.
Police respond immediately
Police Lieutenant Somkid Kamuea, an investigator at Mae Chan Police, received the report that afternoon and rushed to the scene on Phahonyothin Road. He found a yellow six-wheeled vehicle from the Mae Sai road authority lying on its left side. The truck bore Bangkok license plate 510402.
More than 20 rode in the back
More than 20 employees had been riding on the flatbed. During the crash, seven of them were injured. The victims were identified as Sarayut Pengdon, 43, Saroch Chaiyachomphu, 41, Worawut Charungkomonmorntri, 23, Nopparat Thongampha, 33, Chamnuan Wisetcharoendham, 47, Charan Yotsuai, 49, and Ahuay Chermue, 57.
Driver uninjured
At the wheel was Sarawut Jaikad, 49, from Pong Ngam subdistrict in Mae Sai district. He escaped without injuries. In his initial questioning, he said he had been driving back to his station in the Ban Tham area after attending a water festival organized by the authority in Chiang Rai. The Mae Sai road construction office’s base is in Pong Ngam.
Brakes, rain, loss of control
According to his account, heavy rain was falling when he attempted to slow down before the checkpoint. He then lost control of the vehicle. The truck struck the median and overturned. The seven injured were sent to Mae Chan Hospital, and police are continuing their investigation.
Seven now depend on help
The accident brutally shows how quickly a ride home can turn dangerous. For the seven injured, the only thing that matters now is how severely they are affected and whether they can recover and get back on their feet.