22-Wheel Truck Crashes at Deadly Curve, One Dead

At 4:40 a.m. on July 4, 2569, officers responded to a 22-wheel truck that overturned on Highway 304 (Kabinburi-Pak Thong Chai route) at kilometer 210+400, on a steep downhill curve approaching Pu Tho shrine in Na Di district, Prachuap Khiri Khan. The truck, carrying small concrete piles from Dan Khun Thot in Nakhon Ratchasima bound for Nong Yai in Chonburi, jackknifed and tipped on its side, scattering heavy concrete beams across both southbound lanes and blocking all traffic.

Rescue workers battled heavy rain and darkness to extract the occupants using cutting equipment. The driver, Chaliao, 58, was pulled out with severe injuries and taken to Na Di Hospital, then transferred to Kabinburi Hospital. The passenger, Gowin, 49 (truck attendant), was struck by falling metal and died from his injuries at the hospital shortly after arrival.

Investigators determined the truck was traveling at high speed on the long downhill stretch with a heavy load when brake failure occurred. The driver may have been unfamiliar with the road. The truck struck a median barrier during ongoing construction work before flipping and sliding across all lanes. Traffic was blocked until 1:00 p.m. when concrete beams were cleared and lanes reopened.

Highway 304 is a narrow, steep route notorious for accidents, earning it the name "death curve." Though the government approved billions of baht for a four-lane expansion with elevated bridge and wildlife tunnel, accidents continue regularly, mostly involving heavy trucks and double-decker buses.