Grieving family left in the dark
The family of a 19-year-old woman from Luxembourg are still asking questions about the deadly accident that killed her in Phuket last month.
Schintgen Cey-lan, 19, was riding pillion on a motorbike driven by 21-year-old American man Nickolas Joseph Ayoub when they were struck from behind by a car travelling at speed on Wiset Rd, Rawai, in the early hours of Nov 5.
Both Ms Schintgen and Mr Ayoub were killed in the collision.
The driver of the car, Russian national Irina Pustovalova, 41, had sustained injuries in the accident and had been taken to hospital before police arrived. The car had ended up plunging into a roadside ditch and hitting a power pole.
According to CCTV footage from Rawai Municipality, the accident occurred just before 1am.
The CCTV footage also showed that the couple on the motorbike were travelling at reasonable speed in the left lane when they were struck by the car. The right lane was clear of any traffic.
So far police and local authorities have not released any information about the accident, despite national Tourist Police Commissioner Maj Gen Saksira Phueakam arriving in
Phuket the next day to personally declare a ramped up campaign to improve tourists’ safety.
Since then Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat has told Royal Thai Police (RTP) spokesman Pol Lt Gen Achayon Kraithong, Tourist Police Region 3 Commander Maj Gen Krit Warit and Paitoon Chutimakornkul, Advisor to the Prime Minister, that Phuket is taking serious steps to improve tourists’ safety.
Governor Sophon has since also led a major event declaring Phuket officials’ intent on reducing the number of people killed on Phuket’s roads. While the event was held to remember Phuket’s road-accident victims as part of provincial efforts to commemorate ‘World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims’, officials have remained silent on the collision that killed Ms Schintgen and Mr Ayoub.
The family of Ms Schintgen reached out to European news agency RTL to share their experience following the tragedy.
Ms Schintgen was visiting her grandmother in Phuket with her parents when she was killed in the accident, reports RTL.
Her aunt, Zara-ly Pizzuto, contacted RTL by phone to explain the circumstances leading to the fatal incident, the news agency reported.
“My niece was riding a scooter with her boyfriend on the night of 4 November. She was sitting on the back of the scooter when the accident happened. Both of them died at the scene,” the aunt said.
Ms Schintgen’s mother received a phone call at the hotel where they were staying that night to inform her of her daughter’s death, as well as that of the 21-year-old Mr Ayounb.
Ms Pizzuto said a complaint had been filed following the accident, but few details have emerged.
The driver of the car suffered minor injuries but has otherwise returned to a normal life, although the woman has allegedly had her passport taken by authorities, the aunt told RTL.
“It’s been over a fortnight and we still haven’t received any news," she told RTL. Ms Pizzuto said her mother had engaged the services of a Thai lawyer to liaise with the authorities at the scene, but the case had not moved forward.
The family sent a letter to the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Nov 23, pushing for further support. Ms Pizzuto said they were already in contact with the Luxembourg consulate in Thailand, but required further assistance from the ministry.
“We are aware that such cases take a long time, but we are concerned the investigation will not be carried out properly," Ms Pizzuto said. “We therefore hope to achieve justice and receive support from the Luxembourg government.”
Ms Schintgen’s parents held a Buddhist funeral ceremony at Wat Chalong on Nov 8, and cremated their daughter’s body the next day, the RTL report confirmed.
The Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it usually provides support to families in such cases, and planned to make contact with the local authorities in Phuket, RTL noted.
A spokesperson wrote: “We can facilitate certain administrative procedures, seek to obtain information from local authorities, or accompany families to a certain extent on the ground to solve the issues.”
In countries where Luxembourg lacks diplomatic representation, there is the option to use the Belgian embassy, thanks to an international cooperation agreement dating back to 1965, RTL explained.
The spokesperson told RTL that the Bangkok embassy, the honorary consulate in Phuket and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been in regular contact with the young woman’s family, as well as with Thai authorities.
However, they were not permitted to reveal further details on Ms Schintgen’s case due to privacy laws.