A 51-year-old lorry driver was discovered deceased inside his vehicle on Wednesday after reportedly waiting for over ten hours to refuel at a petrol station in Prachuap Khiri Khan. According to reports from the news portal Mustsharenews, the victim, identified as Phut Nutchabut, was found unconscious at approximately 9.00 am by station employees. The discovery was made after the owner of the transport company raised an alarm when he was unable to establish contact with the driver throughout the morning.
Police investigations revealed that the lorry had originally entered the petrol station premises at 10.53 pm the previous night. Throughout the duration of the night, the heavy vehicle was left with its engine running as it remained stationary in the queue. Upon the arrival of emergency responders and station staff the following morning, the engine was still operational, indicating that the vehicle had been idling for nearly half a day without interruption.
Preliminary inspections of the cabin showed that the air conditioning unit was switched on and all windows were tightly sealed at the time the victim was discovered. Authorities believe that the driver may have fallen asleep while waiting for his turn at the pumps. This led to the initial theory that the victim succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning after being exposed to lethal fumes that may have leaked into the enclosed space over several hours.
The local police have not ruled out the possibility that a leak in the exhaust system allowed carbon monoxide to penetrate the cabin, creating a toxic environment for the sleeping driver. While the primary focus of the investigation remains on accidental poisoning due to engine idling, investigators are also looking into other potential health factors or underlying medical conditions that could have contributed to the sudden fatality.
The body of the deceased has since been transported to a medical facility for a formal post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death. Meanwhile, authorities are continuing their probe into the technical state of the lorry to confirm if a mechanical fault led to the suspected gas leak. This tragic incident has raised concerns regarding the safety of long-distance drivers who rest in idling vehicles during extended waiting periods at service stations.
