A British family continues to undergo long-term recovery following a serious motorbike collision on the Thai island of Koh Chang, while inquiries connected to American citizen Greg Yamada, 41, remain open. Yamada, who police established was four times over Thailand’s legal alcohol limit at the time of the crash, did not attend his scheduled court appearance and subsequently left the country.
The incident took place on January 22nd 2024, during the early stages of what was intended to be a 25-day family holiday. A British father, his partner and their four-year-old daughter were walking along a footpath in the early evening when a motorbike ridden by Greg Yamada travelled toward them at speed. According to the father, the collision happened within seconds, throwing the child into the air and leaving the mother unconscious on the ground.
Emergency teams transported all involved to a local hospital shortly after the crash. The mother, 40, sustained multiple serious injuries, including broken bone fractures in her neck, bleeding scalp wounds requiring stitches, and extensive abrasions and lacerations. Their daughter sustained injuries across her face, eyes, torso, arms and legs, including a deep laceration above her eye that resulted in scarring, a subconjunctival haemorrhage that left one eye fully blood-red, and a sinus fracture on her skull from the force of impact.
Police confirmed that Gregory Yamada was four times over Thailand’s legal alcohol limit, leading to charges of driving while drunk causing injury to other people. The father reported that Yamada appeared visibly intoxicated at the hospital and showed zero remorse.
Yamada was instructed to appear in court in connection with the charges but did not attend. He is a dual-passport holder, carrying both United States and Japanese passports, and immigration records confirm he crossed the border into Cambodia after the incident.
The family returned to the United Kingdom to continue medical treatment. The father described the crash as “life-changing,” highlighting the long-term impact and the extended recovery process.
In statements provided after their return home, the family said Yamada’s disappearance has intensified their hardship, expressing the view that his selfish actions represent an attempt to avoid responsibility for the devastation caused.
The matter remains active, with information relating to Gregory Yamada’s movements continuing to be examined as enquiries progress.
