A Midlothian tourist has died after a horror motorcycle crash on a Thai island, with the passenger also seriously injured.
James Stephenson Young, from Bonnyrigg, and a friend, Pierre, are believed to have been drinking at a local bar on Koh Samui before trying to ride back to their hotel. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning when their white Hondo scooter ploughed into the back of a garbage truck.
According to the Record, paramedics arrived at the scene and attempted to revive James and perform CPR, but he was tragically pronounced dead at the scene, found to have a broken neck and severe head wounds.
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Pierre, whose surname has not been released, was taken to the Koh Samui Hospital for treatment. Officers said that several beer cans were found in the under-seat storage compartment of the motorcycle and they will question the survivor once he is stable.
Garbage truck driver Atthaphon Wichien, 42, said he called the emergency services after hearing the two men crash into the back of the industrial waste vehicle. He said: 'At the time of the incident, my crew and I went out to collect trash in the Chaweng beach area and were heading to the garbage disposal plant. Suddenly there was a loud noise at the rear wheel while making a turn.
"So we parked and went down to look. I saw that a motorcycle had crashed and found two tourists injured. I immediately called the police and informed them of what happened. I am very sorry."
Officers believe that the pair may have been drinking at a nearby bar before returning to their accommodation. Lieutenant Colonel Chatchavil Nakmousik said: "From the initial investigation, we found that the two vehicles were travelling in the same direction. The garbage truck was in the front.
"James was the passenger. The rider tried to overtake the garbage truck but was not able to, leading to a collision. We will summon the truck driver and also the injured tourist for questioning. We will also be checking through the CCTV."
Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records, with dozens of tourists and expats being killed every year on the roads. In June, Canadian Christian missionary Marine Scott, 49, was killed instantly after being hit by a pick-up truck while cycling in Kanchanaburi.
Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.
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