Pattaya, April 23rd, 2026 – A terrifying incident took place on Pattaya Second Road when a white BMW suddenly reversed at high speed into a group of pedestrians, sending foreign tourists flying and injuring five people, including a two-year-old child.
At approximately 7:50 PM on April 22nd, 2026, Pattaya City Police were alerted to a serious accident in front of a traditional Thai massage shop near Mega International Market. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station, along with rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation, rushed to the scene.
Upon arrival, police found a white BMW 5 Series (520D) with Bangkok plates with significant rear-end damage. The driver’s door was wide open and bent against the front wheel. The vehicle had mounted the footpath and crashed into a luggage shop, damaging several suitcases on display.
Five foreign tourists were injured in the incident and were transported to local hospitals:
– A 45-year-old American man
– A 56-year-old Australian man and his 2-year-old son
– Two Indian men
All five were treated at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Medical teams are closely monitoring their conditions.
A staff member from the massage shop described the heart-stopping moment to reporters. While employees were sitting on the steps in front of the shop waiting for customers, the BMW, which had already been involved in a minor collision with a motorcycle just metres away, suddenly reversed at speed into the crowd of pedestrians. Staff screamed in panic as the car struck tourists walking along the footpath, including a foreigner pushing a stroller with a small child. The employee noted it was extremely fortunate that the staff had moved from their usual spot on the edge of the footpath to the steps; otherwise, they likely would have been run over.
The driver, Mrs. Phannee, 57, a beach umbrella business owner in Pattaya, remained at the scene and gave a statement to police. She explained that shortly before the incident, her car had been involved in a minor scrape with a motorcycle about 3–4 metres away. While waiting for insurance officers, she reversed the car to park at the side of the road. She admitted she may have accidentally left the car in gear but insisted she had engaged the handbrake. When the insurance representative arrived, she got back into the vehicle (with the door still open) to retrieve her driver’s licence. Within seconds, the car suddenly lurched backwards into the tourists. Mrs. Phannee stressed that she had no intention of harming anyone and described the event as a genuine accident. She expressed readiness to take full responsibility and cover all medical expenses for the injured parties.
Pattaya City Police confirmed that CCTV footage from the massage shop clearly captured the entire sequence as seen here: the driver opening the door and entering the car, followed immediately by the vehicle reversing rapidly into the pedestrians before the door could even be closed. Investigators have seized the footage and are interviewing additional witnesses. Legal proceedings against the driver are underway.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
