Family Insists They Can Manage Alone, Won't Accept Donations as 5-Year-Old Girl Asks Rescuers 'Will I Die Too?' After Parents Killed in Pickup Crash Into Tree
A 5-year-old girl survived a pickup truck crash in Nakhon Ratchasima that killed both her parents on April 30, but her family has rejected donations and assistance, warning the public against exploitation scams following the tragedy.
The family of a 5-year-old girl who survived a pickup truck collision has declared they can support the child themselves and will not accept any donations or assistance, urging the public to beware of opportunists exploiting the tragedy. Rescue officials revealed that both Thai and foreign nationals have contacted them offering to sponsor the girl after the incident gained widespread attention on social media.
On May 1, 2025, a tragic accident occurred when a pickup truck swerved off Mittraphap Road at kilometer marker 122+600 in Sueng Neun District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and crashed violently into a tree at 4:58 p.m. on April 30. Driver Chooklairat, 36, died along with his wife Hatairat, 32, while their 5-year-old daughter was trapped in the wreckage. Rescue teams used hydraulic cutters to extract the conscious child. During the rescue, the girl asked firefighters tearfully: "Did my mom and dad die? Am I going to die too?" This deeply moved the rescue team, who worked together to comfort her until she could be safely removed from the vehicle.
At Sukhavadi Temple in Sueng Neun District, the family and relatives held a joint funeral ceremony for the deceased couple. The girl's aunt revealed that the child's injuries are minor—just small wounds on her ankle. She is staying with her grandparents in the village and hasn't attended much of the funeral service to spare her further distress. The girl has been primarily raised by her grandparents since birth because her parents worked. The aunt explained that the child's statement in the viral video about wanting someone to care for her likely stemmed from shock and fear following the accident rather than an actual plea for foster care.
"In reality, our niece is well cared for by her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and relatives who live nearby, so there's no need for concern," the aunt stated. "The family is not accepting any donations whatsoever. We urge anyone with bad intentions not to exploit this tragedy as a pretext to solicit funds. If anyone encounters such scams, please don't believe them to avoid becoming victims of fraudsters. The cremation ceremony for our brother and sister-in-law will take place on Monday, May 4, with the brother's ceremony in the morning and the sister-in-law's in the afternoon, starting at 8:00 a.m. at Sukhavadi Temple."
Meanwhile, Jakrakrit Kingkokkruat, head of the Sueng Neun Sawang Tham rescue unit that assisted the girl, disclosed that since the incident, numerous Thai and foreign individuals who saw the video shared on social media have contacted the Sawang Tham Foundation offering to sponsor the child. The foundation has informed these would-be donors that such decisions rest entirely with the deceased's family members.
