The long drive from Bangkok to Phuket may have been too far for the driver in the fatal crash that claimed a Hong Kong man's life in Thailand Monday.

An injured passenger said yesterday that she suspects the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, but the driver later denied the allegation, blaming road conditions.

David Yik, a Lutheran deacon, died in the crash en route to a Phuket airport to catch a flight home after protestors had closed the Bangkok airport he was supposed to have departed from. A Canadian man in the vehicle was also killed.

Yik's wife, surnamed Fung, suffered mild injuries, and a British woman, Annie Booth, sustained a fractured pelvis.

Booth's daughter, who lives in Hong Kong, arrived in Suratthani yesterday to visit her 56-year-old mother who was supposed to have left Thailand Nov 25 but was stranded due to the airport closure.

Leone Booth quoted her mother as saying that the crash may have been caused by the driver being exhausted after driving for 12 hours.

"I think the driver fell asleep. Probably he was over-tired," she told reporters. "They went off the road and the top (and side) of the van got sliced off."

Annie Booth was sitting on the left side of the van, along with Yik and the Canadian man, at that time.

She talked with Yik and his wife on the way and found them very nice. "She's really sad about what happened," Leone said. She hoped her mother could be taken to Hong Kong for treatment before returning to Britain.

The driver denied having fallen asleep before the accident occurred.

He said he has more than 10-year's driving experience, and he attributed the crash to the road being wet after a rain. He remained in custody in Thailand yesterday.

Yik's family is expected to return to Hong Kong as early as today.

Fung was discharged from the hospital yesterday and stayed in a nearby hotel with her two sons.

She expressed hope to return to Hong Kong from Phuket, where the nearest airport is located.

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said the Chinese Embassy in Royal Thai had contacted the Thai government to expedite the handling of Fung's request.

(HK Edition 12/03/2008 page1)