A VEHICLE turned into a pancake on a 200-metre fall on a steep Phuket slope - and left its driver perhaps the luckiest man alive on the island today during the Songkran ''seven days of danger.''

Korawan Pisirsaulwong, 55, was relaxing in her east coast Phuket villa this afternoon when she heard a strange sound, and investigated.

She saw a vehicle and the pathway it had carved through trees as it tumbled a long way down the hillside. At first, she couldn't raise an answer when she dialled 191, she later told Phuket City police.

But when she dialled 1669, the Narintorn Foundation Centre responded. On the way down the hillside, following the vehicle's path, emergency workers found a man who is so far known only as Jaranpat.

This was one case where not wearing a seat belt saved his life. He was thrown from the black Honda Accord as it tumbled down the steep hillside near the Khao Kad viewpoint in Vichit about 4pm.

Khun Jaranpat, regarded as lucky to be alive, was recovering in Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City this evening. Police plan to interview him as soon as doctors consider him well enough.

The vehicle carried Bangkok number plates. So far no fatalities have been recorded on Phuket, with Saturday and Sunday still to go in the ''seven days of danger'' campaign.