PHUKET: Five Turkish tourists and a Thai driver were injured when a van they were travelling was hit by a pick-up truck on a road in Kathu district of this southen island resort province on Saturday afternoon.
Police said the accident occurred at about 3pm when a Mitsubishi pick-up skidded over the median and hit the van travelling on the other side of the road near the Siko intersection.
The van, which was taking five Turkish tourists from Patong beach to downtown Phuket for shopping, was badly damaged in the front. The Thai driver, identified as Sophan Sahankrit, 51, and the tourists were injured. They were admitted to Vajira Hospital.
The Turkish tourists, all male, were identified as Ismail Dogan, 35, Ergun Bas, 36, Ibrahim Inel, 51, Gursoy Salli, 46, and Salih Koca, 37.
The hospital's public relations office revealed that Mr Dogan and Mr Inel were later released from the hospital while the three others were retained for further observation. Mr Koca, in particular, required an operation as there were pieces of glass stuck in his throat.
The pick-up were also heavily damaged. It ended up lying top-down on the road. However, the driver, Wattana Artduangdee, 30, was miraculously unharmed.