A contestant from The Voice Thailand lost his life in a pickup crash on Nong Hor Road in Chiang Mai, which also damaged 24 electricity poles and caused a power outage in the area yesterday.
A dash camera from another vehicle travelling on Nong Hor Road in the Chang Phueak district of Chiang Mai captured the shocking incident, which occurred at about 3.15pm. The footage shows a drinking water delivery pickup truck approaching a bend at high speed before crashing into an electricity pole.
The pickup then dragged the electricity cables for several tens of metres, causing 24 poles along the road to collapse. The falling poles damaged houses, local shops, and more than 20 cars and motorcycles.
The incident resulted in a widespread power outage and sparked a fire at a nearby restaurant. According to ThaiRath, the blaze destroyed almost the entire establishment before it was brought under control. Residents were left shocked.
Officers from Chang Phueak Police Station and a rescue team reported that the 35 year old driver and his 27 year old passenger, Boonrit Charoenwong, sustained injuries in the crash.
Boonrit, who suffered serious injuries, later died in the hospital. He was one of the leading contestants in The Voice Thailand Season 6, which aired in 2017. Many fans expressed their condolences on social media.
The driver, whose name has not been disclosed, reportedly suffered chest pain. His current condition has not yet been made public and the cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The manager of the Chiang Mai Provincial Electricity Authority, Thongsuk Wongsopa, told ThaiRath that all the damaged poles and wires carried 115-kV high-voltage electricity from the power station to residential areas. Each pole was valued at a minimum of 500,000 baht.
Thongsuk promised that all damaged poles and cables would be removed from the road surface as quickly as possible, and that electricity supply would be restored to the community by today. He also urged motorists to avoid using the road to facilitate repair works.
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