PHUKET: A tourist was killed when his motorcycle was struck by a car outside Tesco-Lotus in central Phuket today - adding to the alarming death tally of expats on motorcycles this holiday season.

Since December 27, at least seven expats have been killed in motorcycle crashes - two of them today.

The latest victim was a middle-aged Swiss man who died almost immediately when struck by a car as he made a u-turn near the Tesco-Lotus store around 12.10pm. He was wearing a helmet.

Seven deaths in 19 days among expats and tourists on Phuket should alarm Phuket police, road safety officials, honorary consuls and embassies.

A police officer at Thalang Police Station in central Phuket said he had been unable to contact the Swiss embassy today. The man was holidaying at Layan beach, on Phuket's west coast.

Police know the identity of the Swiss man but have yet to put a name to today's earlier victim, whose body was found on an isolated road in southern Phuket. There's even a possibility he may have been attacked.

In an unrelated tragedy, 45-year-old Boontam Lekyai died yesterday when crushed by his own 18-wheel truck on a steep hill as he headed from Patong to Kamala, on Phuket's west coast road.

The truck couldn't make it up the hill so Khun Boontam left the cabin and as he was trying to wedge the wheels, the truck rolled back down the hill, killing him.

The Phuket road toll for 2011 is likely to be well down on 2010 and 2009. Eleven deaths were recorded on Phuket in November, taking the total for last year to 108 with December to follow.

The Phuket deaths total for 2010 was 137, which in turn was well down on the 153 recorded in 2009.

However, the high proportion of motorcycle deaths and injuries continues to cause alarm. Phuket has no safe and inexpensive island-wide form of public transport.

Residents and Phuket tourists are forced to use motorcycles. Here's the tally of expats killed on Phuket in recent motorcycle crashes:


Young Norwegian woman Maren Kindsta, 21, is killed and her Canadian companion critically injured in a motorcycle crash as they descend the steep road from Red Mountain Golf Club in central Phuket.


A 48-year-old Swedish man dies on a motorcycle in a single-vehicle crash in Kamala, on Phuket's west coast, north of Patong.


A Polish man, aged 37, died instantly when he comes off his motorcycle while taking a notorious curve in central Phuket's Wichitsongkram Road about 3.50am. Police attribute the crash to speed.


Motorcycle-riding Russian Kireeva Elena, 26, dies outside the Sukko Spa in Chao Fa Road West, when she is killed instantly in a collision with a pickup at 6.40pm.


Erna Dahlan, 29, and her soon-to-be-born son are crushed by a truck in Patong, on Phuket's west coast. Her English husband is deeply affected.


The body of a man is found on a road in southern Phuket, apparent victim of an early-morning motorcycle crash. There are no witnesses and police have few clues to his identity.


Thepkasattri Road near the new Tesco-Lotus in central Phuket is the scene of the death of a Swiss man, killed when struck by a car as he attempts to make a u-turn.