PATTAYA, Thailand – A fully loaded 18-wheel truck slammed into a row of four-storey commercial buildings in East Pattaya early Monday morning, narrowly avoiding a total structural collapse and leaving two people injured, police said.
The crash occurred at around 6:30 a.m. on February 23 on the frontage road running parallel to Highway 7 (Motorway), near kilometer marker 112+600–700 in Ban Na Wang, Takian Tia Subdistrict, Banglamung District, an area commonly referred to as East Pattaya.
Pol. Lt. Col. Sitthawat Chawakornthianrat, an investigator from Banglamung Police Station, led the on-scene investigation together with rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation.
At the scene, a white Hino 18-wheel trailer truck was found with its cab embedded deep into the center of a four-storey commercial building comprising seven connected units. The truck smashed through a concrete wall and into the interior of the structure, causing extensive damage.
A motorcycle and a sedan parked inside the building were also damaged after sections of concrete wall collapsed onto them. Nearby, a som tam and grilled chicken shop was struck by the force of the crash, with cooking equipment, utensils, and merchandise scattered and heavily damaged.
Two people were injured and taken to Pattaya Bhattamakhun Hospital before police arrived. They were later identified as Jitti Hongdee, 45, the truck driver, and Lek Phanklang, 53, a som tam vendor. Both sustained minor injuries.
Witthaya Jaithieng, 58, the owner of the grilled chicken shop, said he was preparing to open his stall when the truck suddenly veered off the road and crashed into the building.
“It came out of nowhere and plowed straight in,” he said. “Everything in front of it was swept away.”
Police said the building suffered severe structural damage, with cracks found in central concrete columns and beams, raising concerns that the structure could partially collapse. Authorities have cordoned off the area as a danger zone and ordered residents and occupants to temporarily evacuate.
Provincial engineers from Chonburi are expected to conduct a detailed structural inspection. Preliminary police assessments suggest the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, though investigators will question the driver further to determine the exact cause of the crash.
