CHONBURI, THAILAND – A refrigerated truck with suspected brake failure ploughed into several vehicles on a downhill stretch near Sri Racha, killing its driver and disrupting power across a major industrial zone.
Truck slams into six vehicles and topples power mast
The crash occurred at around 8:30 a.m. on Pinthong 3 Road in the Sri Racha area of Chonburi when a ten-wheel refrigerated truck travelling downhill reportedly lost its brakes and collided with oncoming traffic. The vehicle, driven by 45-year-old Thanat Chai‑ai, hit six vehicles — two sedans, two pick-up trucks and two motorcycles — before overturning and coming to rest against a 115‑kilovolt power mast.
Thanat was found dead in the crushed cab, and rescue workers were only able to recover his body after stabilising the wreck. Two motorcyclists, Montira Dee‑wiang, 32, and Weerapol Chai‑nurak, 25, were taken to hospital with suspected leg and back injuries but survived the impact.
An eyewitness, Wutthiphong Sarnphon, 40, described the moment the truck came down the hill out of control:
“He came down the hill at insane speed, tried to brake – nothing worked anymore.”
said Wutthiphong Sarnphon, eyewitness.
Power cut, fuel spill and safety probe
Officers from Nong Kham Police Station said early findings point to technical failure in the braking system, causing the heavily loaded vehicle to accelerate unchecked on the downhill section. The truck’s impact toppled the high‑voltage mast and forced the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) to cut power to secure the damaged line, leaving parts of the Pinthong industrial zone without electricity and traffic lights out of service.
Diesel fuel spilled heavily onto the road from the truck’s tank. Firefighters and rescue teams responded with foam to prevent a blaze and kept bystanders away while two mobile cranes were used to stabilise the mast and truck. It took about an hour before crews could safely remove the driver’s body from the cab.
Police investigators are examining the cause of the brake failure and assessing whether other heavy vehicles using the busy logistics route between Bangkok and the eastern seaports face similar risks. Authorities are considering tighter technical inspections and lower speed limits on downhill sections in the industrial area.
A local resident summed up the shock in the community:
“You only heard the thunder and then the crash – then everything went black.”
said a local resident.
Officials say the incident underscores how a single defect in a heavy truck can bring an entire industrial region to a standstill.