wowpow
July 19th, 2006, 07:45
"FATAL ACCIDENT - Two tourists run over on zebra crossing - Bangkok Post, WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM
Two foreign visitors were crushed to death by an excavator as they held aloft road safety flags while crossing a busy road in Bangkok yesterday. British tourist Gary Thomas Chambers, 28, and his Norwegian girlfriend Hanne Karlsen, 20, were seen waving the flags to alert passing traffic before stepping out onto the pedestrian crossing in front of the Princess Hotel on Lan Luang road in Pomprap Sattruphai district. A witness said the two were then hit by an eight-wheel backhoe. The heavy vehicle mowed them down in the bus lane, crushing them both to death.
Pol Maj Akarachai Chamchoi, inspector of Nang Loeng station, said each of the tourists was carrying a safety flag. The flags were placed on the roadside so pedestrians could use them to signal oncoming vehicles to stop _ part of a government road safety campaign called ''Safe Crossing With Flags''.
Pol Maj Akarachai said the excavator belonged to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The driver, Saichon Innork, 35, a city employee, was charged with reckless driving.
Mr Saichon said there was a problem with his brakes. He was driving back from a landscaping site and as he approached the hotel he spotted the two tourists but was unable to stop his vehicle. Police said the tyres had almost no tread." Bangkok Post 19th July 2006
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Tha Nation's story is more comprehensive:
"Two foreign tourists were killed in Bangkok yesterday after being run over by a government construction tractor on a pedestrian crossing on Larnluang Road, even though they were holding flags used by pedestrians to signal motorists to stop.
The driver of the tractor, Saichol Innork, remained on his vehicle after running over Hanne Karlsen, a Norwegian, and Garry Thomas, a Briton, near the Princess Hotel on the busy street in Pom Prab district, as he feared a mob of bystanders was going to attack him.
Saichol, 34, who works for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's public works department, has been charged with causing death through reckless driving. He told police he was not speeding when he approached the crossing and failed to see either of the victims, both 28 years old.
Quoting witnesses, Nang Lerng police said the tractor was expected to stop for the tourists to cross the street as it moved slowly towards them. Both victims were using flags made for pedestrians to signal motorists to stop and raised them high when they were in the middle of the street facing the tractor.
Saichol only stopped when bystanders began yelling at him, 100 metres beyond the crossing."
Two foreign visitors were crushed to death by an excavator as they held aloft road safety flags while crossing a busy road in Bangkok yesterday. British tourist Gary Thomas Chambers, 28, and his Norwegian girlfriend Hanne Karlsen, 20, were seen waving the flags to alert passing traffic before stepping out onto the pedestrian crossing in front of the Princess Hotel on Lan Luang road in Pomprap Sattruphai district. A witness said the two were then hit by an eight-wheel backhoe. The heavy vehicle mowed them down in the bus lane, crushing them both to death.
Pol Maj Akarachai Chamchoi, inspector of Nang Loeng station, said each of the tourists was carrying a safety flag. The flags were placed on the roadside so pedestrians could use them to signal oncoming vehicles to stop _ part of a government road safety campaign called ''Safe Crossing With Flags''.
Pol Maj Akarachai said the excavator belonged to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The driver, Saichon Innork, 35, a city employee, was charged with reckless driving.
Mr Saichon said there was a problem with his brakes. He was driving back from a landscaping site and as he approached the hotel he spotted the two tourists but was unable to stop his vehicle. Police said the tyres had almost no tread." Bangkok Post 19th July 2006
================================================== ========================
Tha Nation's story is more comprehensive:
"Two foreign tourists were killed in Bangkok yesterday after being run over by a government construction tractor on a pedestrian crossing on Larnluang Road, even though they were holding flags used by pedestrians to signal motorists to stop.
The driver of the tractor, Saichol Innork, remained on his vehicle after running over Hanne Karlsen, a Norwegian, and Garry Thomas, a Briton, near the Princess Hotel on the busy street in Pom Prab district, as he feared a mob of bystanders was going to attack him.
Saichol, 34, who works for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's public works department, has been charged with causing death through reckless driving. He told police he was not speeding when he approached the crossing and failed to see either of the victims, both 28 years old.
Quoting witnesses, Nang Lerng police said the tractor was expected to stop for the tourists to cross the street as it moved slowly towards them. Both victims were using flags made for pedestrians to signal motorists to stop and raised them high when they were in the middle of the street facing the tractor.
Saichol only stopped when bystanders began yelling at him, 100 metres beyond the crossing."