PHUKET, THAILAND – Two women were killed in a pickup truck collision at a Kamala intersection, while the accused driver remained free on police bail as investigations continued.
Two women killed at Hua Khuan intersection
The crash occurred on 1 February at the Hua Khuan intersection in Kamala, when a Nissan Navara pickup struck a stationary motorcycle. The two women on the bike, Janyaporn Kaopattanakit (45) and Chantra Siriyamon (33), were from the Phuket region. One victim died at the scene and the other shortly afterwards in hospital.
Driver charged and released on bail
The pickup driver, Phasakorn Athikerd (44) from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, was charged with negligent homicide and then released on police bail. Kamala police chief Pol. Col. Anurak Prinyasathirakul confirmed the temporary release but did not disclose the bail amount. Authorities said the release would continue while investigators compiled documents and awaited medical examination results.
Police await medical reports
“The investigators are still collecting documents and are waiting for medical examination results.”
said Anurak Prinyasathirakul, Kamala police chief.
Until the case file was complete, the suspect remained at liberty. Prosecutors were reviewing whether the negligent homicide charge should stand in its current form or be adjusted once all pending reports were received.
Drowsy driving admitted, tests negative
On-site tests for alcohol and drugs returned negative results. Phasakorn told police he had fallen asleep at the wheel and cited work overload as the reason. Under Thai law, falling asleep while driving is not considered a justification for causing a crash.
Families negotiate compensation
Relatives of the deceased entered talks with the accused over damages and civil compensation. The original amount demanded was not made public, and negotiations were ongoing. Mandatory insurance was set to pay 500,000 baht, with a further 1 million baht from the vehicle’s insurance policy, while any additional settlement remained under discussion.
Community anger and calls for justice
The case sparked shock in the Kamala community, with numerous condolences and demands for faster criminal proceedings in similar incidents circulating on social media. A friend of the victims wrote online:
“Two wonderful women, simply wiped out – and the driver strolls around free. Where is the justice?”
said an unnamed acquaintance of the victims.
Many users shared this criticism, calling for tougher legal consequences in cases involving road deaths.
Phuket’s high accident toll in early 2026
The Kamala crash was part of a wider pattern on Phuket’s roads. National road safety agency Thai RSC recorded 24 traffic deaths and 5,207 injuries on the island since the start of the year. On 23 February alone, 81 additional injuries were registered, underlining Phuket’s position as one of Thailand’s most accident-prone regions.
Debate over negligent homicide penalties
The case added momentum to debate over whether current penalties for negligent homicide in traffic cases met society’s need for protection. Defendants who cited exhaustion as a cause of crashes faced accusations of gross negligence, a legal classification on which legal experts were divided. It was not yet known whether authorities would consider reforms to traffic criminal law, while the investigation against Phasakorn Athikerd continued.