Woman drowns while learning to drive in Trang
A learner-driver drowned when the car she was driving crashed through a concrete wall and plunged into a pond in Trang’s Huay Yod district on Wednesday, police said.
The accident happened in Moo 3 village in Tambon Nong Chang Laen.
Scuba divers from a local foundation took about 15 minutes to recover Thanomsri Worarit, 47, from the back seat of the car. She apparently climbed from the driver’s seat in an attempt to get out of the car before it sunk and drowned her.
The manual transmission car crashed through the wall and plunged into the five-metre-deep pond. The car was found to be in first gear.
Krissadakarn Wongmak, 36, who was teaching Thanomsri to drive, said he let her drive alone as he felt she had enough experience. He said he was walking beside the car to teach her.
At one point, the car headed towards the wall and Thanomsri got confused and stepped on the accelerator pedal instead of the brake while her left foot was on the clutch pedal.
The teacher said he tried to reach for the ignition key to turn off the engine but Thanomsri apparently removed her left foot from the clutch which causing the car to race forward and slam through the wall.