Indian tourist killed, another injured in Phuket motorbike accident

Lt Col Somnuek Damkaew of the Kamala Police was called to the scene, on a curve along the Patong-Kamala Rd, at 8:20pm.

When police arrived, two injured Indian tourists were still pinned under a black Phuket-registered Chevrolet Captiva stopped on the northbound side of road, Col Somnuek noted in his report.

The driver of the Chevrolet, 23-year-old Phuket native Worachat Thapachetri, was waiting at the scene.

Col Somnuek identified the Indian tourists as Nitish Mishra, 27, from Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, and Ms Pragya Paliwal, 29, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh.

Rescue workers soon arrived and recovered both tourists from under the car and rushed them to Patong Hospital. However, Ms Paliwal was pronounced dead on arrival.

Col Somnuek reported that police were told by witnesses at the scene that Mr Mishra was driving the motorbike with Ms Paliwal riding as passenger from Kamala Beach. The two were travelling southbound to the hotel where they were staying in Patong.

It was raining at the time, and Mr Mishra lost control of the motorbike on the slippery road, sending the two tourist sliding across the road into the path of the oncoming car.

Col Somnuek’s report made no mention of whether the tourists were wearing helmets, or of the extent of Mr Mishra’s injuries.

The report also made no mention of whether any charges would be pressed over the accident.