No guarantee of safe crossings in Pattaya or Bangkok — student seriously injured as bus reverses into zebra lane
Bangkok student hit on zebra crossing by wrong-way bus — skull and pelvis fractured in shocking crash
PATTAYA, Thailand – In Thailand’s bustling cities of Pattaya and Bangkok, pedestrians are often reminded that even marked zebra crossings offer little true safety. While officials focus on promoting tourism and urban development, everyday road safety for residents and students remains precarious — and recent events only underscore the danger.
A disturbing accident in Bangkok has renewed public outrage after a young university student was struck by a bus while using a designated pedestrian crossing. The incident occurred on June 26, just before 5:30 PM, along Sukhothai Road near the Wachiraphayaban Intersection. Closed-circuit and mobile footage posted by Facebook user Sansaen Ruangrit showed the 20-year-old student, identified only as “Nong Noon,” attempting to cross the road when a Thai Smile Bus suddenly came the wrong way up the street, ramming into her at high speed.
The impact sent the student’s body skidding across the asphalt in full view of stunned onlookers. She was rushed to a hospital in the Saphan Khwai area, where doctors diagnosed her with a skull fracture in two locations, bleeding in the middle ear, a broken collarbone, and three pelvic fractures that now require steel pins. She remains in critical condition and under close neurological observation, with doctors delaying surgery to monitor the risk of seizures or permanent damage.
According to her aunt, who spoke with reporters outside the hospital, Noon was just leaving class at her university and was crossing the street toward Masterpiece Hospital when the collision occurred. The family, deeply shaken, now fears she may not be able to graduate with her peers. Her studies have been thrown into disarray, and long-term physical rehabilitation is expected to last several months. The family also revealed that the bladder and hearing damage sustained in the crash may have lasting effects. “She was the family’s hope,” the aunt said, noting that Noon’s mother has only one child.
Despite clear markings, Thailand’s zebra crossings remain deadly — “no guarantee of safety,” say locals
The driver, 63-year-old Teerachai, has since been suspended by his employer, Thai Smile Bus. In a statement posted to the BangkokBusClub.com community, the company confirmed it had already begun caring for the victim and would cooperate fully with any legal proceedings. Thai Smile Bus stated that the driver had been removed from duty on the day of the crash pending internal investigation and disciplinary procedures. He has since apologized, although he offered no explanation for how or why he was driving against traffic into the zebra lane.
The public outcry has focused on more than just this one case. The accident has become a painful reminder of how Thailand’s urban road networks — particularly in high-traffic areas like Bangkok and Pattaya — continue to put pedestrians at risk. Crosswalks are frequently ignored by drivers, enforcement is lax, and even areas with well-marked pedestrian lanes fail to prevent reckless driving. Citizens have questioned how many more lives must be upended before lasting reforms are implemented.
Many see the crash not as an isolated incident, but as part of a broader failure in traffic law enforcement, infrastructure planning, and civic responsibility. While buses, taxis, and motorbikes rush to meet urban demands, those on foot are often left to navigate a chaotic and indifferent streetscape.
As Noon’s family braces for a long and uncertain recovery, advocates are once again calling for stronger safety measures — including stricter traffic penalties, better crosswalk lighting, pedestrian overpasses in danger zones, and reforms in driver training. But until those reforms come, residents in cities like Pattaya and Bangkok will continue to cross with fear, knowing that even on zebra lines, there is no true guarantee of safety.
Thai Smile Bus suspends driver after crosswalk collision leaves student hospitalized with severe injuries
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