
Man in Thailand injured after falling face first onto durian in traffic accident
BANGKOK: A man in Thailand found himself in a prickly situation after a bizarre incident involving his motorcycle, a pickup truck and a durian left him with dozens of wounds to his face.
According to Thai media outlet Channel 7, the 48-year-old man was riding his motorcycle in the north-eastern province of Buriram when he crashed into the back of a pickup truck on Tuesday (July 15).
The collision caused him to be flung off his motorcycle, landing face first on a singular durian covered by a plastic bag.
The motorcyclist, known only as Somchai, was left with puncture wounds to his face from the spikes of the fruit.
The Muang Buriram Police Station received a call for assistance at about 5pm that day, said Channel 7.
When they arrived at the scene, the police found Somchai slumped beneath a tree with visible puncture wounds to his face.
He said he did not know what he had landed on and that he was not speeding before the accident occurred.
The police rescue unit discovered a plastic bag in the back of the pickup truck with bloodstains that appeared to be from the injured motorcyclist.
The truck driver and owner of the durian told Channel 7 that he had stopped to buy the fruit for his family on the way back from the city.
He said he was not sure if anyone in his family would still want to eat the durian. - The Straits Times/ANN

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Thai land mine claims rejected by Cambodia in escalating dispute
PHNOM PENH: Thailand accused Cambodia of injuring its soldiers with land mines planted on the Thai side of their shared border, prompting Phnom Penh to reject the claim and suggest the incident may have been aimed at triggering a larger confrontation. Three Thai soldiers were injured when they stepped on a land mine during a routine patrol along an established route on July 16, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Sunday (July 20). The mines were not of a type used by Thailand and were recently laid in a "blatant violation of international law,' it said. "The Royal Thai Government condemns in the strongest terms the use of anti-personnel mines,' the ministry said, adding that it planned to take action against Cambodia under the United Nations' Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention while pursuing bilateral channels to resolve the ongoing dispute. Cambodia said it "categorically denies' the claims, saying Thai soldiers violated a 2000 agreement "by deviating from their established patrol routes and creating a new route that entered Cambodia sovereign territory.' "Their incursion resulted in injury due to a land mine - a remnant of war,' Cambodian defence spokesperson Maly Socheata said in a statement. "Was this an intentional act designed to provoke tension that could escalate the situation into confrontation?' Neither side's statements could be immediately verified. But land mines laid decades ago have killed or injured thousands of people in Cambodia, according to the land mine clearance charity Halo Trust. The border dispute between the two countries has blown up into a major point of contention, especially since a May 28 exchange of gunfire which killed a Cambodian soldier. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra subsequently sought to calm tensions in a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, but the conversation was leaked, triggering an uproar at home and the Thai leader's suspension as premier by the Constitutional Court. Paetongtarn, who is being probed for alleged ethical violations in her handling of the dispute, has insisted the government is standing up for Thai interests. The foreign ministry's late Sunday statement on the mines represents its strongest language towards Cambodia since the dispute started in May. The mines were found in Chong Bok, site of the May exchange of fire. Thai officials said that incident occurred because Cambodian soldiers were digging a trench in the border area and opened fire on Thai soldiers, while Cambodia said its troops have long been stationed there and blamed the Thai side for shooting first. "Thailand calls on Cambodia to cooperate on humanitarian demining efforts along the border of the two countries as bilaterally agreed by both Prime Ministers,' the country's foreign ministry said. Both countries have a history of clashes over land disputes but have largely maintained cordial relations since a deadly conflict in 2011 left dozens dead. Since May, both sides have massed troops along the frontier and limited land crossings that act as vital trade links. Cambodia has said it wants the International Court of Justice in the Hague to help settle the disputed status of Chong Bok and three other disputed border areas. Thailand doesn't recognise the court's jurisdiction. - Bloomberg


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Thailand claims Cambodia planted land mines, escalating dispute
BANGKOK: Thailand accused Cambodia of planting new land mines on the Thai side of the shared border, in an escalation of a bitter territorial dispute between the two countries. Three Thai soldiers were injured when they stepped on a land mine during a routine patrol along an established route within Thai territory on July 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Sunday (July 20) The mines were not of a type used by Thailand and were recently laid in a "blatant violation of international law,' it said. "The Royal Thai Government condemns in the strongest terms the use of anti-personnel mines,' the ministry said, adding that it planned to take action against Cambodia under the United Nations' Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention as a state party while pursuing bilateral channels to resolve the ongoing dispute. "Thailand calls on Cambodia to cooperate on humanitarian demining efforts along the border of the two countries as bilaterally agreed by both Prime Ministers.' A spokesperson for the Cambodian government didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The border dispute between the two countries has blown up into a major point of contention, especially since a May 28 exchange of gunfire which killed a Cambodian soldier. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra subsequently sought to calm tensions in a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, but the conversation was leaked, triggering an uproar at home and the Thai leader's suspension as premier by a court. The foreign ministry's statement on the mines represents some of its strongest language towards Cambodia since the Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn pending an ethics probe into her handling of the dispute. The mines were found in Chong Bok, site of the May exchange of fire. Thai officials said that incident occurred because Cambodian soldiers were digging a trench in the border area and opened fire on Thai soldiers, while Cambodia said its troops have long been stationed there and blamed the Thai side for shooting first. Both countries have a history of clashes over land disputes but have largely maintained cordial relations since a deadly conflict in 2011 left dozens dead. But since May, both sides have massed troops along the frontier and limited land crossings that act as vital trade links. Cambodia has said it wants the International Court of Justice in the Hague to help settle the disputed status of Chong Bok and three other disputed border areas. Thailand doesn't recognise the court's jurisdiction. - Bloomberg


New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Thailand finds no livestock drug smuggling, pledges cooperation
SUNGAI GOLOK: Thai authorities have not received any reports or evidence suggesting that drug traffickers are using livestock, including cattle, to smuggle narcotics across the border. Narathiwat Deputy Governor Wichan Chaisetsumpan said authorities are unaware of any cases of drugs being smuggled inside livestock across the border. "So far, there is no information or cases within our agencies about such a method being used to smuggle drugs," he told reporters when met here yesterday. He was responding to Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat's remarks last week, who said intelligence suggested drug traffickers were hiding narcotics inside livestock imported from a neighbouring country. "We received information a few months ago indicating that some cattle and goats, legally imported across the border, were not being fed by their owners during the quarantine period," he said. Malaysia shares a long and porous border with southern Thailand. However, Wichan said Thailand continues to work closely with Malaysian authorities including those in Kelantan to curb cross-border smuggling involving narcotics, livestock, and other illicit activities. "Both countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently to jointly tackle smuggling issues along the border," he added. Commenting on the recent closure of illegal jetties along the Kelantan border by Malaysian police, he said similar action had been taken on the Thai side along the Golok river. "Illegal jetties on our side have also been shut down but we allow limited flexibility based on the needs of local residents," he said. Wichan also said that Thai authorities would allow Malaysians to cross the river, but only during specific times and under strict conditions. "They are allowed to cross at designated times, provided they do not carry any prohibited items. "Thai military personnel will maintain strict surveillance along approved routes," he said. Wichan was speaking after attending the closing of a boat racing competition here involving 40 teams including five from Malaysia. Also present were Kelantan Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Md Nor and Sungai Golok Mayor Saleeha Mayutoh.