What began as an ordinary afternoon on Chiang Mai’s Nong Hor Road turned into a scene of devastation captured on dashcam: a high-speed pickup truck delivering bottled water slammed into a utility pole, dragging live cables for tens of metres, toppling an astonishing 24 electricity poles and leaving a trail of wreckage, fire and heartbreak in its wake.
The moment that changed a road
At around 3:15pm yesterday, a dashcam from another vehicle recorded the chilling sequence. The footage shows the drinking-water delivery pickup approaching a bend at high speed, losing control and striking a power pole. The impact didn’t stop there — the pickup dragged the fallen lines along the road, sweeping down pole after pole like dominoes and ripping open the electrical infrastructure that feeds whole neighbourhoods.
The consequences were immediate and severe. Twenty-four concrete poles carrying 115-kV high-voltage transmission lines were brought down, electricity cables were strewn across the roadway, and the falling poles crushed parked cars, motorcycles, local shops and homes. A nearby restaurant ignited in the chaos; according to local reports, the blaze gutted nearly the entire establishment before firefighters could get it under control.
A tragic loss — and a community in shock
The human cost of the crash was devastating. One passenger, 27-year-old Boonrit Charoenwong, sustained serious injuries and later died in hospital. Boonrit was well known to many: he was one of the leading contestants on The Voice Thailand Season 6 (2017), and fans quickly flooded social media with condolences when news of his death emerged. The driver, a 35-year-old man whose name has not been released, suffered chest pain and other injuries; his current condition has not been confirmed publicly. Authorities say an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
Wider fallout — power out, repairs under way
Beyond the human tragedy, the accident caused a major infrastructure crisis. The manager of the Chiang Mai Provincial Electricity Authority, Thongsuk Wongsopa, told ThaiRath that the damaged poles and wires were part of a high-voltage 115-kV line that transmits power from the station to residential areas. Each pole was estimated to be worth at least 500,000 baht, highlighting the scale — and cost — of the damage.
Crews have been mobilised immediately. Thongsuk promised the damaged poles and cables would be cleared from the roadway as quickly as possible and that power would be restored to affected areas by today. Repair teams are working under difficult conditions: tangled high-voltage lines, damaged concrete poles, burnt structures and a busy arterial road that needs to be kept clear for heavy equipment. Residents were urged to avoid Nong Hor Road in the Chang Phueak district to allow restoration work to proceed safely and quickly.
Scenes from the neighbourhood
Witnesses described the area as stunned. More than 20 cars and motorcycles were damaged by falling poles, while local houses and shops suffered structural harm. The downed high-voltage lines created an immediate safety hazard, and firefighters had to battle the restaurant blaze while emergency responders tended to the injured. Social media posts and Facebook pages shared images and clips from the scene, adding a raw, instantaneous layer to the unfolding story.
Questions remain
At this stage, key questions remain unanswered. Why did the pickup approach the bend so fast? Were road conditions, mechanical failure or driver impairment factors? Authorities from Chang Phueak Police Station are investigating, and forensic and technical teams will need to examine the vehicle, skid marks and surveillance/dashcam footage to reconstruct the final moments before impact.
Meanwhile, the community faces the twin tasks of mourning and recovery. The loss of Boonrit, a public figure with a fanbase, has made the tragedy especially visible — friends, fans and fellow musicians have shared memories and condolences online. For residents whose homes or livelihoods were damaged, the next days will be about assessing insurance, repairs and how quickly power can be safely restored.
Safety takeaways
- When travelling on winding or unfamiliar roads, reduce speed and stay within posted limits — especially on routes with high-voltage infrastructure nearby.
- Dashcams and CCTV can be invaluable for investigators and communities seeking answers after serious crashes.
- In incidents involving downed power lines, treat the area as hazardous and keep clear; only trained utility crews should approach live electrical equipment.
Officials have pledged swift repairs and a thorough investigation. For now, Nong Hor Road bears the scars of a single, catastrophic crash — and a community pauses to grieve, repair and make sense of what happened.
Photo credits: images circulating on Facebook pages (เชียงใหม่ CM108 ข่าวเชียงใหม่ จังหวัดเชียงใหม่; เชียงใหม่นิวส์ Chiang Mai News ข่าวเชียงใหม่).
This is awful — 24 poles toppled and a well-known singer killed, and the whole community is paying the price. It feels like a failure of multiple systems: road safety, vehicle maintenance and utility placement. Whoever is responsible should be held accountable while we support the victims’ families.
I saw the dashcam clip and it looked like pure reckless speed, not a mechanical issue. But are we sure the road signage and curve protection were adequate? Media jump to blame drivers sometimes without looking at infrastructure.
Larry D, exactly — blaming the driver alone misses the bigger picture of road design and pole placement next to a bend. If high-voltage lines are so vulnerable, why are they so close to an arterial road?
From an engineering perspective, poles holding 115-kV lines should be set back or protected by barriers in high-risk zones. The domino effect here indicates both speed and insufficient mitigation measures. Investigation must include structural assessments and line clearance policies.
Or maybe the truck had faulty brakes and the water company is to blame, not the poor driver who delivered water to people’s homes. These delivery jobs are rushed and underpaid, pressure causes mistakes.
My first thought: the company needs to be sued into oblivion if maintenance was ignored. You can’t entrust heavy deliveries on winding roads without proper checks. This is negligence that cost lives.
Could be negligence, but how often do courts nail companies in Thailand? I want to see the forensic report before the lynch mob forms. Dashcam clips are dramatic but incomplete evidence.
Skeptic88, courts or no courts, public pressure forces action. If a business cuts corners, people should be angry and demand compensation.
As a local, I’ve seen companies ignore safety rules for years. But remember that drivers can be impaired, tired, or inexperienced too. The investigation needs to be transparent so families see the truth.
The collapse of 24 concrete poles carrying 115-kV lines is structurally significant and dangerous for repair crews. High-voltage lines on arterial roads require dedicated contingency protocols and pre-approved detour plans. Immediate forensic examination should include brake systems, speedometry, and electrical fault analysis.
At an estimated half a million baht per pole, the economic loss plus service interruption will be huge. This raises broader questions about funding for resilient infrastructure in growing urban fringes.
K. Patel, the cost goes beyond hardware — prolonged outages damage businesses, healthcare facilities and trust in the grid. Investment in redundancy and protective barriers is economically justified.
As an electrical lineman, I worry about the crews working under tangled live lines. They need proper live-line protocols; otherwise we risk more casualties during repair.
From a reporting angle, the public deserves a clear timeline of restoration and a list of affected areas. Transparency helps calm speculation and shows officials are on top of it.
I can’t stop thinking about Boonrit — he was on The Voice and brightened people’s days. It feels wrong that fame doesn’t protect you from such senseless danger. My heart goes out to his friends and family.
As a fellow musician I am shaken. Social media is full of tributes but real support is needed for his family, not just likes. We should organize a benefit gig for long-term help.
Annie, that’s a great idea. A benefit could help cover medical and funeral costs and keep attention on road safety reforms.
Why do people drive so fast? My dad says slow saves lives and money. Seems obvious to me.
This is a teachable moment for road-safety education in schools and driver training programs. Students should be shown real examples of consequences, not just abstract rules. Prevention would save both lives and infrastructure costs.
Education is good but enforcement and engineering matter more. If drivers see no penalties and bad roads, lessons in class won’t change behavior overnight.
Somchai, I agree enforcement must accompany education. But long-term cultural change begins with consistent curriculum and community engagement.
Don’t forget employers — companies that time deliveries must ensure drivers get rest and vehicles are roadworthy. It’s systemic.
I smell cover-up. Too convenient that the driver’s name isn’t released and the company gets time to clean up. Where’s the CCTV from nearby shops? The public should demand all footage.
Conspiracy theories don’t help grieving families. Freeze and check the facts first, then push for transparency. Rage without evidence is wasted energy.
Khun Lek, I’m not saying there is a conspiracy, just that secrecy breeds suspicion. Release the footage and the report quickly and people will calm down.
I want to see forensic reports too, but sharing raw footage can harm families. Officials should balance transparency with privacy and dignity for victims.
Half a million baht per pole means at least 12 million baht in hardware alone, not counting labor and indirect costs. Who will pay: the company, the driver, the government, or the utility? This will be a political debate.
Utility budgets rarely cover sudden disasters; emergency allocations come from provincial coffers initially, then insurance or litigation may redistribute costs. It’s messy.
Chai, exactly. Which is why preventative infrastructure investment makes fiscal sense over time, yet politicians often prioritize visible projects over resilience.
Police should publish preliminary findings to prevent rumor spreading. Speed checks, toxicology, vehicle maintenance records — all of it needs to be public in a redacted form. The public deserves clarity.
Publicizing too much too soon can interfere with the investigation, though. There is a balance between transparency and preserving the integrity of the case.
Skeptic88, sure, but delayed silence fuels distrust. Timely, factual updates can reduce speculation without revealing sensitive details.
This is so sad. I hope everyone gets help and the roads get fixed soon.
As someone who covers local incidents, the viral dashcam is both a blessing and a curse for journalists. It provides evidence but also spreads graphic content rapidly. We must report responsibly.
Larry, responsible reporting is key, but so is chasing accountability. Articles should ask tough questions about why such infrastructure remained so exposed.
Joe, agreed. I’ll push for follow-ups on infrastructure policy and hold authorities to account in my next piece.
Dashcam clips are persuasive, but they’re a single viewpoint with unknown frame rates and possible edits. Forensic video experts should authenticate and calibrate footage before conclusions are drawn. Court needs facts, not shock value.
True — calibrated footage combined with physical evidence like skid marks and vehicle data recorders gives a fuller picture. Science wins over impressions in these cases.
Exactly. Let’s let the experts do their work and avoid online conviction by virality.
Boonrit’s death will ripple through the arts community. We need to support his loved ones and use this tragic moment to advocate for safer working conditions for gig and delivery workers. Fame shouldn’t be the only thing that makes a life visible.
Annie, I’ll help organize a memorial concert and fundraiser. Artists owe it to each other to step up when one of us falls.
Natcha, thank you — let’s coordinate outreach and make sure the funds go directly to those impacted, not overhead.