KHAO LAK, PHANG NGA – A German couple was critically injured after being struck by a speeding pickup truck while crossing a zebra crossing near Bang Niang Beach in Phang Nga, Thailand, on April 15, 2025 at about 5:00 PM.
The victims, identified by police as Phillip David Lothar, 34, and Linda Raub, 32, were pushing their one-year-and-eleven-month-old son in a baby stroller when the accident occurred. Dashcam footage revealed that a car had stopped to allow the family to cross, but a modified pickup truck, driven by a 60-year-old Thai man identified only by police as Choei, collided with the parents as they passed in front of the stationary vehicle. Miraculously, the stroller with the young child rolled safely to the side of the road, and he sustained no injuries.
Both Phillip and Linda were rushed to Khao Lak Hospital, where they remain in the intensive care unit with severe injuries. Authorities confirmed that the child is safe and uninjured. The driver, Choei, stayed at the scene and was arrested, facing charges of reckless driving causing injuries.
Lertsak Ponklin, president of the Phang Nga Tourism Business Association, noted that the zebra crossing near Bang Niang Beach is a high-traffic pedestrian area where similar accidents occur almost weekly. “Drivers often fail to slow down,” Lertsak said, adding uncertainty about whether the crossing’s pedestrian lights were operational at the time. He urged drivers to stop at zebra crossings and advised tourists to exercise caution.
The incident echoes a troubling pattern of road accidents in Phang Nga. In 2022, a Czech couple was seriously injured in a similar crash in Khao Lak.
Local authorities are still investigating the crash as of press time. It was not immediately clear who was taking care of the child but authorities had stressed the child was safe.
