PATTAYA, Thailand – While Pattaya is world-renowned for its beachside fun and nightlife, it can also be deadly — especially for pedestrians just trying to get home. A heartbreaking incident late on the night of June 28 has reminded residents and tourists alike that Thailand’s traffic dangers remain severe, particularly when enforcement is lax and roads are poorly lit.
At around 10:00 PM, tragedy struck on Lam Luk Ka Road Soi 69 in Pathum Thani Province, not far from Bangkok, when a mother carrying her five-month-old baby was struck by a speeding yellow taxi while crossing at a zebra crossing. The impact was so forceful that the woman, later identified as 34-year-old Ningnong Phetlavanh, a legally employed food vendor from Laos, succumbed to her injuries despite immediate CPR efforts by rescue volunteers. Her infant child was injured but survived and was rushed to Thanyaburi Hospital.
Shockingly, instead of stopping to help, the taxi driver fled the scene, only to be tracked down by a good Samaritan who followed the damaged vehicle for nearly 500 meters and alerted the police. Officers from Khu Khot Police Station arrived shortly after to arrest Mr. Amarin, the driver, who was found standing beside the heavily damaged vehicle near Khlong 5.
Locals who witnessed the event described the horrifying sound of the crash and expressed outrage that the driver attempted to escape. “She crossed there every day. She just finished work at a restaurant and was heading home with her child,” said Mr. Wiwat, the deceased woman’s employer, adding that Ningnong had worked legally in Thailand for several months and was a trusted staff member.
Initial investigations revealed significant damage to the left fender and windshield of the taxi, consistent with a high-speed impact. The driver was taken in for questioning and subjected to an alcohol test. Meanwhile, the mother’s body was sent to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital’s forensic institute for autopsy, while authorities work to locate her family and arrange for proper religious rites.
This latest tragedy comes amid rising calls for better pedestrian safety and stricter penalties for hit-and-run drivers. Despite repeated awareness campaigns, zebra crossings in Thailand are too often ignored by reckless motorists.
As Pattaya continues to draw global tourists, incidents like this serve as painful reminders that the city — and the country at large — must do more to ensure that no life is lost simply for crossing the street.
