Driver reportedly loses consciousness before electric SUV crashes into Bangkok shrine, injuring three
Three people were injured after a 78-year-old man reportedly lost consciousness while driving an electric SUV and crashed into Bangkok’s Guanyin Shrine on 1 October. Rescue workers freed victims trapped beneath the vehicle.
THAILAND: Three people were injured after an electric SUV crashed into the Guanyin Shrine at the Thian Fah Foundation on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok’s Chinatown on 1 October 2026.
Police were alerted at about 1.13pm after the vehicle entered the shrine while people were inside paying their respects.
The injured were later taken to hospital for treatment.
The Thaiger reported that the driver was a 78-year-old Thai man.
Initial accounts cited by Bangkok Post described him as an elderly driver with an underlying condition associated with high blood pressure.
Driver reportedly lost consciousness
According to Pol Lt Col Atthapol Darok, deputy chief of the Phlapphla Chai 2 police station, witnesses initially told officers that the driver had lost consciousness.
The Bangkok Post reported that the driver may have accidentally pressed the accelerator after losing consciousness, causing the vehicle to move into the shrine and strike people inside.
The circumstances surrounding the driver’s condition and the sequence of events remained subject to police investigation.
Victims trapped beneath vehicle
Three people were reportedly trapped beneath the vehicle.
Rescue volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation used hydraulic rescue equipment to free them before transporting the injured to Klang Hospital.
The victims were identified by The Thaiger as 60-year-old Wipa, 21-year-old Kerkchai and 27-year-old Paeploy.
Wipa reportedly sustained the most serious injuries, while Kerkchai and Paeploy were reported to have suffered minor injuries.
Witness describes sudden impact
KhaoSod quoted 60-year-old security guard Worraphon Youngcham as saying that about 30 people were visiting the shrine when the vehicle suddenly entered through the main gate at speed.
The incident caused damage to some items and parts of the shrine.
Guanyin statue remains intact
Despite the impact, the Guanyin statue at the 68-year-old shrine remained intact.
The sedan came to a stop directly at the base of the statue.
Emergency responders assisted those affected at the scene before the injured were transported to hospital.
Police subsequently examined the vehicle and the circumstances of the crash.
The incident occurred at the Guanyin Shrine within the Thian Fah Foundation, a longstanding site on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok’s Samphanthawong district.
