Samut prakan: A luxury car valued at over 6 million baht unexpectedly reversed into an irrigation canal after the handbrake was released while the gear remained disengaged. According to Thai News Agency, the incident unfolded in the Bang Phli District, where CCTV footage captured the owner of an auto parts shop in Khlong Khut parking his white luxury car on a sloping road in front of his shop. The vehicle, parked with the engine running, rolled backward across the road and into the 5-meter deep Suvarnabhumi Canal as the owner was outside shaking car mats.
Following the incident, the vehicle owner reached out to Bang Phli Traffic Police and rescue workers for assistance in recovering the car from the canal. The recovery operation required a large crane and took over two hours to complete. Authorities had to temporarily close one lane of traffic, leading to congestion that stretched for several kilometers. The situation normalized once the vehicle was successfully removed.
The owner's son explained that his mother, who had driven the car to the shop, left the engine running without engaging the handbrake or putting the gear in park. The car subsequently rolled across the road in under a minute, narrowly avoiding a collision as an oncoming driver managed to stop in time.
The family expressed their apologies to other road users and emphasized the importance of ensuring vehicle safety when parking. They highlighted the need for drivers to check their vehicles thoroughly to prevent similar incidents. The vehicle, an imported electric model, was brand new and had been insured voluntarily.