PHUKET: A 57-year-old man new to driving escaped serious injury last night (Dec 10) when he ploughed his new Nissan March into a shophouse grocery storre in front of his house.
Wichit Police were called to the scene, at the front of the Phuket Villa California housing estate, at 7pm.
Police accompanied by Wichit Municipality rescue workers arrived to find the car stopped halfway into the grocery shop with a steel pole to support shutters resting in the engine bay. The car, fitted with red license plates, had its emergency lights still blinking.
Piyaphat Nawee, 57, explained that he had bought the Nissan March just one month and five days ago. He was still getting used to driving it.
He was driving back from work when he pulled up in front of the shop so he could reverse to park his car in front of his house, which is across the street.
As he went to reverse the car to park, he realised that the car was not in reverse gear and he went to step on the brake. He missed, and hit the accelerator instead, launching the car forward into the shop.
He slammed into one the steel support poles, resulting in two steel roller-shutter doors coming crashing down.
Mr Piyaphat said the accident damage was covered by first-class insurance, and it was confirmed that he had not been drinking.
The insurance firm is now in negotiations with the owner of the shophouse grocery store about covering the damages, he said.
Source: The Phuket News