Woman injured in accident dies at police station in Thailand
A 21-year-old woman in Thailand died at a police station after rescue workers and police failed to send her to a hospital following a traffic accident in Bangkok.
Source: CH8
According to Khaosod, the incident happened in late Feb 2025.
The case resurfaced on Sunday (8 March) after her family sought external help from a non-profit foundation.
Victim was injured in crash but was taken to police station instead
The victim, Ms Warisara Pongkamla (name transliterated from Thai) was riding her motorcycle home when she crashed on Lat Phrao Road 43/2 at about 2.20am.
Instead of sending her to a hospital, rescue workers took her to Phahon Yothin Police Station.
Source: Khaosod
They reportedly believed she was intoxicated and said she showed no serious external injuries.
At around 5am, Ms Warisara suffered a seizure.
She was pronounced dead at the station by 6am.
Suffered eight broken ribs and pulmonary haemorrhage
Ms Warisara’s mother, Ms Samaporn Pongkamla (name transliterated from Thai), questioned why medical assistance had not been sought earlier.
While rescuers initially described the injuries as minor, an autopsy later found eight broken ribs and pulmonary haemorrhage, which is bleeding in the lungs.
Source: Khaosod
Ms Samaporn said through tears that her daughter might have survived if she had been hospitalised earlier.
Doctors reportedly told the family that internal bleeding of this nature takes time to become fatal, suggesting there was a window for treatment.
Relatives allegedly kept in the dark
The family also alleged that rescuers handled the victim carelessly, and that they failed to inform the family about the accident.
Police purportedly said that they could not do so because she had no identification and refused to go to the hospital.
Source: Khaosod
However, it was later found that officials had accessed the civil registration database.
They then claimed that her face did not match the file photo, and therefore did not contact her relatives.
Her phone was allegedly missing for two days
The family also said Ms Warisara’s mobile phone went missing for two days.
Her boyfriend, Mr Nattapat Kleaklao (name transliterated from Thai), said he called repeatedly, but no one answered.
He further claimed that Ms Warisara could not have been intoxicated as she was communicating normally before the accident.
Source: Khaosod
While officers initially said they were charging the phone’s battery, they later claimed that the phone was found in the vehicle used to transport her body.
Police have launched an investigation for transparency
On Monday (9 March), Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom (name transliterated from Thai), Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), expressed condolences to the family.
He ordered the Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2 to take over the investigation from Phahon Yothin Police Station to ensure transparency.
Source: MGR Online
Initial police findings state that officers who arrived at the crash site saw only minor abrasions and believed the victim was drunk, according to Thai news outlet MGR Online.
As she had no identification, they brought her to the station’s public service point to rest.
Police said Ms Warisara was still communicating at the station before officers later noticed she had gone still.
They said her pulse was weak when checked and that she passed away despite CPR efforts.
Also read: Man in Thailand suffers coma after police mistook his stroke symptoms for drunkenness
Man in Thailand suffers coma after police mistook his stroke symptoms for drunkenness
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Khaosod and CH8.
