SONGKHLA: A man was lucky to escape with only minor injuries when his car ran off the road at a corner and into a deep ravine in Na Mom district early on Monday night.
He was quickly picked up and whisked away by a relative, leaving police and rescuers puzzled when they arrived at the scene and found only the empty car, and sparking a fruitless two-hour search.
The accident occurred near Moo 4 village in tambon Phichit and was reported to police about 7pm, said Na Mom police chief Pol Col Wiwatchai Thamwithayaphum.
A Mitsubishi Mirage had crashed through a roadside railing at a curve and into a 30-metre deep ravine.
It fell through thick undergrowth before hitting a tree about 10 metres below the highway and coming to a stop.
Rescuers went down the ravine to the car, but it was empty. A two-hour search of the area in the dark also found nobody.
After calling telephone numbers found on documents in the vehicle, police learned the owner was Sonthaya Chinapas, a man from Pattani.
He had survived the crash with only minor injuries. A relative had arrived and collected him before police arrived, and Mr Sonthaya was resting at the man's house in Muang district of Songkhla.
Mr Sonthaya said he would report to police later to explain the accident.
