Road accident kills Wat Arun deputy abbot

The deputy abbot of Wat Arun sustained fatal head injuries after he fell out of his BMW on an expressway in Pathum Thani province yesterday morning.

Phra Khru Palad Thammakhan, 67, died of his injuries at Krung Siam St Carlos Medical Centre.

His driver, Pongpan Mekbut, blamed the accident on the flood-damaged expressway. "I was driving at a speed of no more than 90 kilometres per hour."

He said the BMW sedan slipped to the side of the road before hitting the barrier and spinning around.

"A door was flung open and the senior monk was hurled out of the car," Pongpan said.

A second passenger, Wang Kessathit, was also seriously injured.