A 66-year-old taxi driver collapsed and died at the wheel in the middle of Soi Pracha Uthit 27. Locals saw the taxi parked motionless for half an hour. When they went to ask him to move the vehicle, they found him unconscious and quickly called rescue services, but attempts to save him came too late.
On 24 May 2026 at 09:25 GMT+7, Police Sub-Lieutenant Narasak Wongpota, deputy investigator at Rat Burana Police Station, received a report of an unconscious person inside a public taxi in the middle of Soi Pracha Uthit 27, Pracha Uthit Road, Bang Mod Subdistrict, Thung Khru District, Bangkok. He coordinated with police officers and volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation for urgent inspection.
Upon arrival, officials found a green-yellow Toyota public taxi with Bangkok license plates parked with the engine running in the middle of the soi. Inside, on the driver's seat, they found Mr. Thongyon Boonsirisuk, 66, slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious and unresponsive. Rescue workers used tools to open the vehicle door, then moved him out to perform emergency first aid and CPR while coordinating with the Erawan emergency medical team for assistance.
Later, the ALS medical team arrived and provided full emergency care, performing prolonged cardiac resuscitation efforts. However, the patient remained unresponsive, and doctors subsequently confirmed his death. Police then coordinated with forensic doctors from Siriraj Hospital to conduct an investigation.
“Aunt Maew,” a grilled squid vendor near the scene, said she saw the taxi parked still for about half an hour. Locals intended to ask the driver to move the vehicle as it was obstructing traffic. When she approached, she saw the driver with his head drooping, unconscious, with saliva coming from his mouth. She immediately called rescue workers to check. At that time, the car was locked but the engine was still running.
Ms. Ananta, 31, the victim's niece, said he suffered from several chronic diseases, especially diabetes, and often experienced headaches and dizziness. He had driven a taxi for many years, and the vehicle was his own. She learned of the incident from her brother's phone call and was very shocked, rushing immediately from Samut Prakan Province.
Preliminary examination found no signs of assault or wounds on the body. Nearby CCTV footage showed the taxi had driven into the spot and remained parked there for a long time. Authorities assigned rescue workers to send the body for a thorough autopsy to determine the true cause of death before releasing it to the family for religious rites.