The quiet hum of an idling engine at a King Kaew Road petrol station in Racha Thewa turned into a scene of sorrow on December 24, when staff discovered the body of 78-year-old truck driver Pramote slumped in the cab of his ten-wheel lorry. According to police reports, the truck had arrived around 6:00 PM the previous evening and remained parked with the engine running until attendants became alarmed the next morning when the vehicle hadn’t moved and calls to the driver went unanswered.
A loyal life on the road
Pramote wasn’t just any driver. The man had spent more than four decades behind the wheel of the same truck, ferrying containers and hauling loads across routes that included Lat Krabang and Bang Phli. The truck’s owner—who employed Pramote for over 40 years—recalled that the driver typically made a single trip per day and was known for his work ethic. Even after retirement age, Pramote reportedly chose to keep driving because he loved the job, despite gentle warnings from friends and colleagues to slow down and rest.
That long career makes the scene at the petrol station all the more poignant: the familiar silhouette of a ten-wheel lorry idling under fluorescent lights, its cab still cool from the air-conditioning, a window left open to the night, and a life spent mostly on the move quietly coming to a stop.
What investigators found
Bang Kaew Police Station officers, together with forensic doctors and rescue volunteers, inspected the truck after station staff made the grim discovery. Inside the cab, Pramote was found slumped in the driver’s seat with his right foot still resting on the accelerator pedal. The engine had been left running, and the right-side window was open; the air conditioning was still operating when first responders arrived.
Investigators reported no signs of physical struggle or injury at the scene, and preliminary assessments suggested the man had been deceased for at least 12 hours by the time he was found. To determine the exact cause of death, authorities transported the body to undergo a post-mortem examination.
Questions that remain
With no obvious trauma or disturbance, questions linger about what led to the sudden collapse of a man who had spent his life navigating Thailand’s highways. Was it a medical emergency such as a heart attack, stroke, or something else? The post-mortem will be crucial in answering that question. For colleagues and the truck’s owner, the discovery has been a sobering reminder of the fragility of life—especially for older drivers who continue to work on physically demanding schedules.
Friends and coworkers described Pramote as hardworking and committed—someone who turned up every day, handled his duties diligently, and preferred the familiar rhythms of driving to quieter, landlocked retirement. His owner stressed that he never pressured the driver to overwork and that, by all accounts, the decision to keep driving was Pramote’s own.
Context and caution
The discovery in Samut Prakan arrives amid a broader conversation about road safety, driver health, and the pressures faced by aging workers who remain active in demanding roles. Authorities often advise older drivers to undergo regular medical checks and to heed advice about rest and reduced hours—advice Pramote reportedly received but chose to ignore because of his enduring attachment to the job.
It’s also a reminder for businesses and family members to check in with older workers who perform high-responsibility tasks, especially those that require alertness on public roads. Small interventions—like regular health screenings or encouraging more frequent breaks—can sometimes prevent a tragic outcome.
Another crash, another wake-up call
In a separate incident that underscores the risks of fatigue and inattention behind the wheel, reports from Phang Nga province described an 18-wheel truck crashing into a stationary Nissan March at a red light on Phetkasem Road after the driver reportedly fell asleep. No direct link ties that crash to Pramote’s death, but together these incidents illustrate how quickly routine driving can turn dangerous—whether through sudden medical events or the insidious effects of tiredness.
Final thoughts
For now, officials await the post-mortem results that will provide clarity for Pramote’s family, colleagues, and the wider community who knew him as a dedicated, long-serving driver. The image of a veteran trucker parked beneath the neon glow of a petrol station, his engine idling as morning found him still, is both haunting and a call to action: to care for those who keep our highways moving, and to take the necessary steps to make sure that the job they love doesn’t cost them their lives.
If there is any consolation, it may be that Pramote passed after a lifetime doing what he loved—behind the wheel. Still, his death will likely prompt questions about how better to protect aging drivers who remain on the roads out of passion, necessity, or both.
This is so sad but predictable; older drivers get praised for loyalty while nobody enforces safer schedules. How many more will we lose before companies start mandatory health checks and shift limits?
Blaming companies is easy, but many drivers choose to keep working because retirement pay is nowhere near enough. It’s a bigger social problem about pensions and support for the elderly.
True, Somsak, poverty plays a huge role, but employers still have responsibility when someone operates heavy machinery on the road. A nudge toward health checks doesn’t require massive spending, just basic care.
As a cardiologist I see older drivers every month; undiagnosed arrhythmias and silent ischemia are common. Mandatory ECG and blood pressure screenings could catch many risks early, but implementation needs policy support.
This reads like negligence dressed as devotion. He loved his job, sure, but why did nobody insist he stop driving at retirement age?
People here idolize ‘working till you drop.’ Family and bosses enable it by applauding endurance instead of safety. Cultural values matter a lot.
Exactly, grower134. Cultural pride shouldn’t be an excuse to risk lives. We need community-level interventions, not just condolences after the fact.
We also shouldn’t police personal freedom. If he chose to drive, who are we to stop him? There must be a balance between autonomy and safety.
The image of him with foot on the accelerator is haunting. I keep thinking what if a passerby had to brake suddenly and a moving truck reacted—this could have been multiple deaths.
That’s why an idling engine with a driver inside should trigger station checks sooner. Petrol staff should have clear protocols for welfare checks.
Agree, Maya. Petrol stations and rest stops need training to act quickly; a 12-hour window before discovery is unacceptable in my view.
From a medical standpoint, sudden collapse in a confined, cool environment with the engine running could point to cardiac arrest, stroke, or metabolic causes. Toxicology and autopsy will clarify whether it was natural or environmental.
Would carbon monoxide be a concern with window open and AC running? People sometimes assume open windows remove all risks but enclosed cabins can concentrate fumes.
Ananya, with the engine running and AC on recirculation there’s potential for exhaust infiltration, but a post-mortem should check for CO levels and toxicology to rule that out.
I respect older workers but this story makes me angry. The man loved his truck but love shouldn’t be used to justify putting him in harm’s way.
This is also a policy failure. There should be mandatory rest protocols and age-based fitness-to-drive testing for commercial truckers. Public safety outweighs nostalgia.
Mandatory testing sounds good but could cost drivers their jobs if not paired with pension support. We can’t push people into poverty in the name of safety.
Preecha, that’s why policies must be holistic: screening plus social safety nets. It’s shortsighted to debate only safety without planning economic alternatives.
Screening programs worldwide are most effective when linked to healthcare access. Detecting disease without offering treatment options just stigmatizes older workers.
There’s a romantic myth about ‘dying doing what you love’ but it’s a thin consolation for a preventable death. We should be upset, not nostalgic.
To be clear, I’m not attacking families; I’m arguing for systemic change so we don’t repeat this pattern in the next generation.
I’ve worked with older drivers; many insist on driving because it gives them dignity and a routine. Taking that away needs more than rules, it needs respect and alternatives.
Alternatives like lighter duties or mentorship roles might keep dignity while reducing risk. Companies can reassign experienced drivers to training or logistics.
Yes, Somchai, reassigning is practical. It preserves livelihood and keeps institutional knowledge in the business without endangering roads.
Why weren’t CCTV or staff alerted earlier? This suggests a lack of protocols at the petrol station too, not only the employer or driver.
As a transport regulator I can say policies exist but enforcement is spotty. Small firms often bypass checks, and aging workforces are overlooked.
If enforcement is weak, maybe we need community watchdog programs and incentives for compliance rather than just fines.
Community incentives can work, Ananya, but they require funding and political will. Stories like this might build momentum for change.
I’ve driven trucks for 35 years and saw many buddies driven to early graves by fatigue. People who haven’t lived it don’t get how addiction to the road works.
Thanks for sharing that perspective. It’s important policymakers hear from drivers themselves when designing interventions.
There will be conspiracy theories about foul play even if the autopsy shows natural causes. Social media loves to turn grief into gossip.
Not saying that’s happening here, but we should be careful with speculation until facts are released.