Fatal turn in Bangkok shrine crash as woman, 82, dies after a 78-year-old driver’s BYD ploughs through worshippers. Eight others are injured, two seriously. Police file three charges as they probe his account of confusion over the car’s controls now.
A serious accident at a venerated Bangkok shrine has become a homicide investigation after an 82-year-old woman died. Eight others were injured, two seriously, when a 78-year-old driver’s BYD tore through the crowded Guanyin Shrine. Worshippers scattered as rescuers battled to free a trapped woman. Police have now filed three criminal charges against the driver, whose account shifted from reported dizziness to confusion over the vehicle’s controls.
An 82-year-old woman has died after a BYD electric car ploughed into a crowded Chinese shrine in Bangkok. Eight other people were injured, including two seriously, police confirmed on Friday. Meanwhile, the 78-year-old driver faces three criminal charges following Thursday afternoon’s crash.
The death sharply raises the toll from the incident at the Thian Fah Foundation on Yaowarat Road. Initial reports identified only three injured worshippers. However, police revealed a substantially heavier casualty count after the investigation progressed overnight. One woman is now confirmed dead, while eight others survived with injuries.
Pol Col Witthawat Khengkhum confirmed the revised toll while updating the investigation on Friday. He is superintendent of Phlapphla Chai 2 Police Station. Police identified the deceased victim as an 82-year-old woman but have not publicly released her name. Of the eight survivors, two suffered serious fractures and six sustained lesser injuries.
Police confirm nine victims after shrine crash as woman, 82, dies and two others suffer fractures
Notably, one woman suffered a fractured pelvis, while a man sustained a broken leg. The latest figures significantly change the scale of Thursday’s incident. Early accounts focused on three casualties identified during the initial emergency response. Friday’s police update instead confirmed nine victims, including the woman who died.
The development follows an earlier Thai Examiner report on the dramatic crash published on Friday. That report identified a 60-year-old woman named Wipa among the injured. She became trapped beneath the front of the grey BYD after it entered the shrine. Rescue workers used hydraulic equipment to free her before taking her to Klang Hospital.
Police have now identified the deceased woman as aged 82. Accordingly, the available information indicates she and Wipa were separate victims. Nothing in the latest police information establishes that the two women were the same person. Instead, the revised figures show the initial casualty picture was incomplete.
Separately, investigators have stepped up criminal proceedings against the 78-year-old driver. Police filed three charges after confirmation of the death and wider injury toll. They concern negligent conduct causing death and negligent conduct causing serious injury. The third concerns negligent conduct causing bodily or psychological injury.
Driver released after three charges as police examine his account of confusion over the BYD controls
Despite those charges, police did not arrest the motorist after questioning him. Pol Col Witthawat said he remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Moreover, he has a permanent address and showed no indication that he intended to flee. Police therefore granted him temporary release and ordered him to report again next week.
Investigators are continuing to collect evidence and question witnesses before completing their case. Afterwards, they will prepare the investigation file for submission to public prosecutors. The driver will return next week as police continue those legal procedures.
Meanwhile, his explanation of the crash has developed since Thursday’s initial reports. Early accounts said he told investigators that he became dizzy or faint before the vehicle accelerated. He reportedly referred to an underlying condition involving high blood pressure. Friday’s police update, however, focused on confusion involving the electric car’s controls.
Pol Col Witthawat said the driver admitted becoming confused about the BYD’s gear position. Other reports said investigators were examining possible confusion between the accelerator and brake pedals. Consequently, police will test his explanation against evidence gathered from the scene. That includes CCTV footage, physical evidence and statements from witnesses.
BYD drives through crowded Yaowarat shrine as worshippers scatter and rescuers free trapped woman
The crash happened between approximately 1.13 pm and 1.30 pm on Thursday, October 1. The location was the Guanyin Shrine inside the Thian Fah Foundation compound. It stands on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok’s Samphanthawong district. Around 30 worshippers were reportedly inside when the grey BYD approached the shrine.
Security guard Worraphon Yangchaem, 60, saw the electric vehicle moving towards the worship area. He attempted to signal the driver to stop. Instead, the BYD continued forward, forcing Mr Worraphon to jump clear. At the same time, worshippers scattered as the car drove deeper into the compound.
The vehicle continued through the worship area before finally stopping near the Guanyin altar. CCTV footage subsequently captured its path through the shrine. The front of the BYD suffered extensive damage during the crash. Parts of the shrine were also damaged, although the Guanyin statue escaped the impact.
Inside the compound, emergency crews immediately began treating the injured. Wipa, 60, was trapped beneath the front section of the vehicle. In response, rescuers brought hydraulic equipment into the shrine and worked to release her. She was eventually freed and transported to Klang Hospital for treatment.
Police examine CCTV and forensic evidence as compensation talks follow fatal Yaowarat shrine crash
Two other casualties were initially reported following the emergency response. However, Friday’s police update revealed that the full toll was substantially higher. An 82-year-old woman had died from her injuries, while eight people survived. Two of those survivors suffered serious fractures, with six sustaining lesser injuries.
In parallel, police conducted alcohol and preliminary drug tests on the 78-year-old driver. Earlier reports said his alcohol test returned a negative result. Investigators also gathered statements and began reviewing CCTV footage from the shrine. Physical evidence from the vehicle and compound will form another part of the case.
Police must now establish the complete sequence before the BYD accelerated through the crowded worship area. As part of that process, investigators will examine the driver’s account concerning the vehicle’s controls. They will compare it with witness testimony, CCTV recordings and forensic evidence.
On another front, police are preparing to address compensation arising from the fatal crash. Discussions will cover the family of the deceased 82-year-old woman. Medical expenses and compensation for the eight surviving victims will also be considered. Additionally, damage sustained by the Thian Fah Foundation will form part of those discussions.
Shrine reopens after fatal crash as police raise possible review of accident data for older motorists
Despite the damage, the shrine reopened to worshippers on Friday. However, access to affected sections remained restricted while cleaning and repairs continued. Visitors were still arriving at the foundation during the day. For now, worship is being conducted from an outside section while work continues inside.
Pol Col Witthawat also addressed the driver’s age during Friday’s update. Thailand currently imposes no automatic upper age limit preventing elderly motorists from holding driving licences. He said relevant agencies could examine accident statistics involving older motorists. These could include the Royal Thai Police and Department of Land Transport.
Any wider consideration would first require examination of relevant accident data. For now, however, the police investigation remains centred on Thursday’s fatal crash. Officers must complete forensic examinations, witness interviews and other evidence gathering before finalising the case.
Driver due back at police station as investigators prepare fatal shrine crash case for prosecutors
The driver is expected to return to Phlapphla Chai 2 Police Station next week. Investigators will then continue legal proceedings before preparing their final file for prosecutors. His explanation concerning confusion over the BYD’s controls will remain part of that investigation.
Thursday’s crash was initially reported as an accident involving three injured worshippers. By Friday, however, the confirmed toll had become substantially graver. An 82-year-old woman was dead, while eight others had been injured. Two survivors suffered serious fractures.
Elderly woman seriously injured after an old man drove EV car at speed into a crowded Bangkok shrine
At the same time, the 78-year-old driver now faces three criminal charges. Police are testing his account against CCTV footage, physical evidence and witness statements. Once that work is completed, investigators will send the case to prosecutors.
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Further reading:
Elderly woman seriously injured after an old man drove EV car at speed into a crowded Bangkok shrine
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