Drunk taxi driver kills policeman at charity event in Bangkok

A heavily intoxicated cab driver crashed his vehicle into a policeman overseeing a charity running event in Bang Khen district early Sunday morning. The officer later died at hospital.

Pol Sub Lt Assada Chamniansri, 54, a deputy traffic inspector from Bang Khen police station, was directing traffic on Phahol Yothin Road, outside the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) depot, at about 6am when he was hit by a green-yellow taxi with licence plate 1 Mor Kor 67 Bangkok.

First responders found him in critical condition and sent him to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, where he  succumbed to his injuries hours later.

The taxi driver was identified as Warabut Somsawang, 45. Subsequent testing revealed his blood alcohol level was 287 milligrammes, far exceeding the legal limit of 50 mg. Mr Warawut reportedly confessed to drinking at a friend’s house in Huay Kwang district and watching a few Premier League football matches before driving home, saying he was not drunk. He claimed that he saw Pol Sub Lt Assada stand in the middle of the road and tried to swerve his car to avoid the collision but could not control the vehicle.

Police charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving causing death. The fatal accident occurred during a mini-marathon organised by Phranakhon Rajabhat University