PATTAYA, THAILAND – A late-night traffic accident in Pattaya toppled three high-voltage poles and brought traffic on a side street to a near standstill.
Crash in curve of Soi Peniad Chang
According to police, the crash occurred at about 10:36 p.m. on 11 January 2026 on Soi Peniad Chang near the entrance to Soi 2, when a vehicle lost control in a curve and slammed into a utility pole. Pol. Lt. Col. Chananan Kesornbua, deputy investigative officer at Pattaya City Police Station, received the emergency call and immediately alerted teams from the Pattaya City Electricity Authority and the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation.
Three high-voltage poles down, street closed
When emergency crews arrived, they found three high-voltage poles broken at the base and lying across the road, with power lines and communication cables hanging low and potentially live above the street. A direction sign was also damaged, and police and rescue workers sealed off the area to all traffic due to the risk of electric shock.
Pickup heavily damaged, driver disoriented
Under the debris lay the badly deformed bronze Toyota Sport Rider pickup believed to have caused the crash, whose driver, Pathomphon Thonglor (57), remained close to the vehicle when rescuers reached the scene. Emergency personnel said he appeared disoriented and possibly intoxicated, repeatedly walking through the danger zone despite warnings that the lines might still be live, though no visible injuries were found.
Witness describes high speed
An eyewitness, Thanathan Yenphukhao (21), who was working nearby as a delivery driver, described the sequence of events to police, saying he had seen the pickup returning at high speed before it went out of control in the curve.
“The vehicle suddenly lost control in the curve and crashed into the pole. Sparks flew on impact, then the poles fell one after another and blocked the road.”
said Thanathan Yenphukhao, eyewitness.
Driver cites evasive maneuver
The driver told officers he had been forced to swerve to avoid an oncoming vehicle and then lost control before hitting the pole. Pol. Lt. Col. Kesornbua took Pathomphon into custody to conduct a breath alcohol test, while police reviewed nearby surveillance cameras to determine the cause and exact sequence of the accident.
Traffic disruption into the night
Traffic in the affected soi remained severely disrupted late into the night as power company crews and rescue teams secured the site and worked to restore normal conditions. No additional injuries were reported, and the police investigation was ongoing.