PATTAYA, THAILAND – Three people were injured, including a foreign tourist, in a night-time collision between an electric motorbike and a sidecar motorcycle at a traffic light intersection on Sukhumvit Road in central Pattaya.
Night-time crash at busy Sukhumvit Road junction
Police from the Pattaya City Police station stated that the emergency call came in at about 2:10 a.m., reporting a collision between an electric motorbike and a sidecar motorcycle, known locally as a “Saleng,” at a red light. Officers immediately requested support from volunteers of the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Rescue Foundation, who arrived at the busy intersection within minutes. All injured persons were transported to a nearby hospital.
Debris, spilled oil and severely damaged sidecar
At the scene, debris from both motorcycles and spilled engine oil were scattered across the roadway. The sidecar motorcycle was heavily damaged, and its cargo had been thrown across the street. Rescue workers found the Saleng driver, identified only as Mr. Sengiam, a man estimated to be between 50 and 60 years old, who had sustained a serious head injury.
Chinese passenger and app-based rider among injured
Further inside the intersection, rescuers discovered two more injured people: a Chinese man, not yet identified by name, who had been riding as a passenger on the electric motorbike, and the e-bike driver, Mr. Natthaphon Huadon, 29. The electric motorcycle was almost completely destroyed. According to the rescue team, Natthaphon suffered abrasions over his body and reported tightness in his chest, while the Chinese passenger appeared dazed with multiple scrapes.
Driver says light was green before frontal impact
In an initial statement to police, Natthaphon said he normally worked as a boat operator but had taken additional work that night as an app-based motorcycle taxi rider, transporting the Chinese tourist from an entertainment venue in South Pattaya to accommodation in the city center. He told officers that as he approached the intersection, his traffic light was green, while the sidecar motorcycle allegedly entered the junction against a red signal directly in front of him. According to his account, there was no time to brake before a head-on collision occurred.
“As I neared the intersection, my light was green, and the sidecar suddenly drove out on red right in front of me, so there was no time left to brake and it turned into a frontal crash.”
said Mr. Natthaphon Huadon, electric motorbike rider.
Police review CCTV and warn drivers
Police documented the crash site and secured evidence, and were reviewing surveillance camera footage from the intersection to clarify the exact sequence of events and determine responsibility. Based on the evidence collected, officers said the usual legal steps would follow. Authorities issued a strong appeal to all road users to obey traffic signals strictly in order to prevent similar accidents in the future.
“We are examining the CCTV footage to clearly establish how the accident happened and who is responsible, and we urge all drivers to follow traffic lights precisely to avoid such crashes.”
said a Pattaya City Police representative.
Renewed focus on road safety in tourist city
The collision and suspected red light violation once again raised concerns about road safety in popular tourist destinations. Officials and rescue workers stressed that stricter adherence to traffic rules and greater personal responsibility by all drivers were essential to reducing serious accidents on Pattaya’s main roads.