Train crushes YouTuber to death on Thailand’s Ratchaburi bridge
A 53-year-old man was crushed to death by a passenger train while he was shooting a video for his YouTube channel on the morning of Dec 18.
The man was identified as Mr Wirot Arayankeht, a resident of Ratchaburi’s Muang district.
Police Major Phusanika Chantharat, an inspector from Ratchaburi Muang Police Station, said the accident took place at 8.20am (9.20am Singapore time) on the Chulalongkorn Bridge over Mae Klong River in Muang district’s Na Muang subdistrict.
The man’s wife Wadee said her husband had told her that he was heading out to shoot video clips for his Facebook page and YouTube channel called Pai Nai Pai Kun Nam Mun Mai Tong Sai (Go Anywhere Without Petrol), which promote getting around on bicycles.
His Facebook page has some 23,000 followers and 717 likes, while his YouTube channel has 140 subscribers.
Police said the Prachuap Khiri Khan-Thonburi train crushed Mr Wirot’s bicycle and dragged his body for about 50m before stopping.
Mr Wirote’s smartphone and tripod, along with other items, were found scattered near the spot.
The train driver, identified only as 58-year-old Noppadon, told the police that he spotted Mr Wirote sitting on the track shooting his video.
The driver said he turned on the horn as a warning, but Mr Wirote could not get out of the way in time, and he could not stop the train in time, so it ended up hitting Mr Wirote and dragging his body for 50m.
Mr Noppadon said he got off the train to find that Mr Wirote had been crushed to death, so he called his supervisor and police.
Police said security camera feed showed Mr Wirote putting his bike on the track at 7.39am.
The last post on Mr Wirote’s Facebook drew 13 sad icons and condolences from seven people. – THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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