A Chinese tourist was killed after being hit by a speeding pickup truck on a zebra crossing in Samut Prakan province on Friday night, the first day he arrived in Thailand.
Police are searching for a 35-year-old Cambodian man who was believed to have been driving the vehicle and failed to stop. A search of his apartment indicated he may have fled, and border checkpoints have been alerted.
The fatal crash occurred in front of a hotel near Soi Navamin 4 off Bang Na Garden Road. The incident was reported around 10pm.
Police found a 67-year-old Chinese man lying unconscious on the road with serious injuries. Medics performed CPR on him but could not save him. His name was withheld pending family notification.
A tourist police patrol was in the area when the incident occurred and they noted the licence plate number of the black Toyota pickup truck. The vehicle, equipped with a siren light on its roof, fled the scene at high speed.
A check found that the licence plate number was fake.
Security video from in front of the hotel showed the moment when the tourist, walking on the zebra crossing, was struck by the speeding pickup. The impact threw his body nearly 100 metres. Other Chinese tourists and hotel security guards rushed to help him as the vehicle fled.
A tour guide with the Chinese tour group said they had just arrived in Thailand earlier that day. The incident occurred as the victim, having left a nearby 7-Eleven store, was crossing the road to return to his hotel room.
Later on Saturday morning, authorities found the pickup parked at a construction firm in Samut Prakan. The front section of the vehicle was damaged and its siren light removed.
The vehicle registration showed it was owned by a woman. She told police she had sold it to a Cambodian who worked at the firm several months ago. However, the transfer had not yet been made.
Forensic officers collected fingerprints from the vehicle, which matched those of a Cambodian man identified only as Thon, 35.
Investigators later searched his apartment but it appeared that he and his wife had fled with their belongings on Friday night.
