MAI KHAO, THAILAND – Two workers from Myanmar were killed in Phuket when an 18-wheel truck carrying a prefabricated house struck a pedestrian bridge, prompting a police investigation into the driver.
Accident near school in Mai Khao
The incident was reported to Tha Chatchai police on 11 March at around 9.50 a.m. and occurred near Hong Yok Bamrung School on Thepkrasattri Road in Mai Khao, Thalang district. Officers and rescue teams from Vachira Phuket Hospital were dispatched to the scene, where the truck had come to a stop beneath the pedestrian overpass.
Emergency personnel found the vehicle halted in the area of the bridge after the impact. The scene was secured while medical teams attempted to reach those involved.
Prefabricated house too high for the bridge
At the site, responders found a white Hino tractor-trailer with 18 wheels transporting a prefabricated house. The load was stacked so high that it became caught on the underside of the pedestrian bridge.
When the structure hit the bridge, the superstructure was struck with considerable force. Two workers who were on top of the load at the time suffered fatal injuries in the impact.
Two men died at the scene
Rescue workers found both men dead at the scene, with no possibility of successful resuscitation. Their bodies were transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination.
Police coordinated the next steps with forensic specialists, who ordered autopsies. The case was being handled in accordance with Thai law.
Driver misjudged clearance height
The driver, identified by police as Mr. Sitthisak, told officers he had been transporting the prefabricated house from Chonburi to Phuket City. He said he believed the overall height of the load would allow the truck to pass safely beneath the overpass.
That assumption proved incorrect, as the impact occurred because the load exceeded the actual clearance height. Whether there was an escort vehicle or a route permit for the oversized transport remained under investigation.
Victims identified as Myanmar nationals
The deceased were identified as Mr. Hein Kyaw (34) and Mr. Than Htike Aung (23), both nationals of Myanmar. Details of their exact roles in the transport operation were initially not available.
The case was not unique, as large transports with insufficiently secured or excessively tall loads in Thailand had repeatedly led to serious accidents on intercity roads. Authorities regularly reviewed whether transport permits and height controls were being consistently enforced.