PATTAYA, Thailand – A poorly lit stretch of highway turned fatal on Sunday night when a motorcyclist slammed into the rear of a car abandoned on the roadside, killing him instantly and once again raising serious concerns over road safety and street lighting in the greater Pattaya–Sattahip area.
The accident occurred at around 7.50 p.m. on January 18 on Highway 331 (Sattahip–Khao Hin Son Road) near a popular airplane-themed café in Phlu Ta Luang, Sattahip district.
Police arrived at the scene with rescue workers where they found Patiphan Jampa-on, 28, the rider of a Honda Wave motorcycle, critically injured. Despite CPR efforts by rescuers, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Nearby, officers found the heavily damaged motorcycle lodged into the rear of a grey Toyota Vios, Bangkok-registered, which had been left parked on the roadside. No driver or owner of the car was present when authorities arrived.
Witnesses told police the area was completely dark, with streetlights out along a long stretch of the highway, making it nearly impossible to see the parked vehicle in time to avoid a collision. The victim had reportedly just finished work and was riding home when the crash occurred.
Police documented the scene and sent the victim’s body to Sattahip Hospital (Km 10) for autopsy. Investigators are now working to locate the owner of the abandoned car for questioning and possible legal action.
Authorities have also said they will coordinate with the Sattahip Highway Department to urgently inspect and repair the lighting system in the area, which residents say has become a known accident hotspot—especially dangerous at night for motorcyclists and long-distance commuters travelling between Pattaya, Sattahip, and the eastern provinces.
