Police lieutenant admits driving pickup that killed a mother and left her two young sons critically injured. Witnesses insist they smelled alcohol, but the officer denies drinking as the family fears justice may never come and breathalyser questions remain.
A police lieutenant has admitted driving the pickup truck that killed a mother and critically injured her two young sons in Kamphaeng Phet. The fatal crash and tragic road death have led to public concern and calls for a thorough investigation. Eyewitnesses insist they smelled alcohol on the officer despite his denial. Relatives fear they may never receive justice while a key question remains over whether a breathalyser test was conducted. Meanwhile, the officer has now attended the victim’s funeral, promised full compensation and accepted responsibility for the collision. However, witnesses continue challenging his account of how the devastating crash unfolded.
A police lieutenant has admitted driving the pickup truck that smashed into a motorcycle carrying a mother and her two sons in Kamphaeng Phet, killing the woman and leaving both boys fighting for their lives.
However, he has denied drinking alcohol before the crash despite eyewitnesses insisting they smelled alcohol on him moments after the collision. The fatal crash has since ignited public anxiety, with relatives fearing they may not receive justice because the other driver is a serving police officer.
The collision happened on Saturday, July 18, in the Khlong Lan District. Within hours, shocking photographs from the scene spread rapidly across Facebook after a witness appealed publicly for help. The images showed a devastating scene.
Mother dies after pickup slams into family motorcycle as two young sons suffer critical crash injuries
A pickup truck had ploughed into the rear of a motorcycle carrying 40-year-old Ms. Piyawadee, known as “Nung”, and her two sons. The impact launched all three riders through the air. Ms. Piyawadee crashed into a roadside drainage pipe.
Meanwhile, her 13-year-old son and his nine-year-old brother were thrown onto the roadway several metres apart. All three suffered catastrophic injuries. Despite emergency treatment, Ms. Piyawadee later died. Both boys remain in intensive care with critical injuries.
Almost immediately, eyewitnesses disputed how the collision happened. They insisted the motorcycle had been travelling normally before it was struck from behind. Their accounts directly contradicted the officer’s explanation. As a result, the crash quickly became the focus of intense public attention across social media.
The following morning, mourners gathered at Wat Khlong Plara Samakkhi Tham in Khlong Lan Pattana Subdistrict for Ms. Piyawadee’s funeral. The police officer concerned from Khlong Lan Police Station, attended the service to pay his respects.
He placed money towards funeral expenses before meeting grieving relatives. Village leaders and community representatives joined the discussions. Cash was then handed to the family beside the coffin.
Police officer attends victim’s funeral and promises compensation as grieving relatives seek assurances
During the meeting, the officer stressed that the money covered funeral expenses only. Further discussions over compensation, he said, would take place after the religious ceremonies ended. In response, relatives accepted the initial payment but remained deeply uncertain about what would happen next.
The police lieutenant later admitted driving the pickup truck involved in the fatal collision. The local officer said his vehicle was travelling downhill when it lost control before striking the rear of the motorcycle.
Certainly, he denied fleeing the scene and insisted he stopped to help the injured victims. He also firmly rejected claims that he had consumed alcohol before driving.
The officer said he had already visited the injured family in hospital. He acknowledged the hardship now confronting them. Initially, he promised to pay funeral expenses. Afterwards, he said wider compensation would be negotiated.
He also pledged to support the surviving children, including helping them travel to school because the family’s only motorcycle had been destroyed. He said he intended to take responsibility for every aspect of the family’s welfare.
Daughters fear uncertain future as family loses breadwinner. Younger sister remains unconscious
Inside the funeral hall, the victim’s daughters described a family suddenly thrown into crisis. Ms. Nicha, 20, said her mother had been the household’s sole breadwinner. Consequently, every aspect of family life had changed overnight.
She said her younger sister remained unconscious in hospital and doctors could not yet assess the full extent of her injuries. The family feared the girl’s broken leg could permanently affect her future. They also worried about possible brain injuries once she regained consciousness.
“My sister hasn’t regained consciousness yet,” she said. “I’m worried things won’t happen as they say. I’m worried we won’t receive justice.”
Separately, Ms. Nanchicha, 16, described the family’s growing anxiety over daily life without their mother. Their only motorcycle had been destroyed in the collision. Everyone in the household relied on it. They no longer knew how younger family members would travel to school. Household expenses also continued to mount while both boys remained in hospital.
Brother reveals family’s financial hardship as eyewitness gives starkly different account of crash
On another front, Ms. Piyawadee’s younger brother, Mr. Anont, 35, said the tragedy had exposed the family’s fragile financial situation. The devastated relative worried about compensation, the children’s future and their daily living costs.
He explained that the children’s father had provided little care. Both, he and his mother both worked in other provinces and could only occasionally send money home. He also looks after his grandmother, who suffers from kidney disease. Mr. Anont revealed he has stage-three kidney disease himself and is unemployed. He questioned how the children could now be supported.
Notably, eyewitnesses painted a dramatically different picture of the collision itself. Ms. Sirina, 34, said she witnessed the crash while driving in the opposite direction. According to her account, the motorcycle was travelling normally in its lane.
She then saw the pickup truck approaching from behind while swerving across the road. Seconds later, it slammed into the rear of the motorcycle.
The impact was devastating. One child was hurled a considerable distance before landing face down on the road. The mother was thrown into the drainage pipe. Another boy landed on the white centre line. Ms. Sirina immediately stopped her vehicle and ran towards the victims. Rescue workers quickly arrived and began emergency treatment.
Eyewitness says officer smelled of alcohol and disputes his account of the devastating smash
According to Ms. Sirina, one child was crying but appeared barely conscious. Another required cardiopulmonary resuscitation before being rushed to hospital. Both boys were later admitted to the intensive care unit at Kamphaeng Phet Hospital with severe injuries.
In contrast to the officer’s account, Ms. Sirina said the pickup truck continued for about 300 metres before returning to the crash scene.
When the driver climbed out, she asked what had happened. She said he claimed the motorcycle had cut in front of his vehicle. She flatly rejected that explanation. Instead, she insisted the motorcycle had been travelling normally before it was struck from behind.
More significantly, Ms. Sirina said she clearly smelled alcohol on the officer after the collision. She also described him as dazed and confused. Those observations convinced her he had been drinking. The following day she visited both injured boys in hospital. She found them still fighting for their lives in intensive care.
“I smelled alcohol,” she said.
She later decided to speak publicly about the crash. She said she was prepared to cooperate fully with investigators because she wanted the family to receive justice.
A second witness also disputed the officer’s version. He likewise maintained the pickup truck struck the motorcycle from behind.
Witnesses press for full investigation as police remain silent on breathalyser test after the fatal collision
He also said he smelled alcohol on the driver. According to his account, the officer initially suggested another vehicle had caused the collision. Later, he told police the motorcycle had suddenly cut across his path. The witness rejected that explanation. He also claimed he had previously heard the officer had been involved in another collision. He called for a thorough investigation into every aspect of the case.
As the investigation continued, key questions remained unanswered. Neither the superintendent of Khlong Lan Police Station nor the investigating officer had told reporters whether a breathalyser test was administered immediately after the collision.
Likewise, neither disclosed whether any alcohol test results existed. That silence has intensified public scrutiny because multiple witnesses independently reported smelling alcohol on the officer.
In parallel, the original Facebook appeal continued spreading online, drawing thousands of reactions and fresh calls for transparency. The witness who posted the images said the family feared they would not receive justice because the other driver was a police officer. Others echoed those concerns after reading eyewitness accounts from the scene.
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Police Lieutenant Kriengkrai has consistently denied consuming alcohol before the crash. Nevertheless, he has admitted driving the pickup truck that struck the motorcycle. He has also pledged to compensate the family fully.
That commitment includes funeral expenses, broader financial support and assistance for the surviving children. However, the family’s immediate focus remains the condition of the two critically injured boys as investigators continue examining the fatal collision and the conflicting accounts surrounding it.
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