Following a serious collision on the Thai island of Koh Chang that left a British family injured, efforts to locate American citizen Gregory Yamada, 41, remain active. Yamada was found to be four times over the legal alcohol limit at the time of the crash and left Thailand after failing to attend a scheduled court appearance.
The family – a 36-year-old father, his 40-year-old partner, and their four-year-old daughter – had travelled to Koh Chang for what was intended to be a long-awaited holiday. Their plans changed instantly on January 22nd 2024, when a motorbike ridden by Greg Yamada veered off the road and struck all three as they walked along a footpath.
The father later described seeing the motorbike travelling at speed just moments before impact. The collision threw the young girl into the air and knocked the mother unconscious, leaving both with serious injuries.
Medical teams treated the family at a local hospital shortly after the crash, which occurred just before 8 p.m. The mother sustained multiple broken bone fractures in her neck, scalp injuries requiring stitches, and extensive abrasions and lacerations across her body. Their daughter suffered a wide range of injuries, including soft-tissue trauma to her face, eyes, torso, arms and legs. She also sustained a deep laceration above her eye that resulted in scarring, a subconjunctival haemorrhage that left one eye entirely blood-red, and a sinus fracture to her skull from the force of the impact.
Police records state that Gregory Yamada was four times over Thailand’s legal alcohol limit when officers arrived. He was charged with drunk driving causing injury to other people, a criminal offence in Thailand that carries a penalty of three to six years in prison.
Greg Yamada was instructed to appear before the court but did not attend the scheduled hearing. Case files note that 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.
After returning to the United Kingdom to continue treatment, the family described the crash as “life-changing” and said the emotional and physical impact of the event remains ongoing. They stated that Yamada’s disappearance has intensified their suffering, saying it reflects an attempt to avoid responsibility for the devastation that he had inflicted through his selfish actions.
The matter remains active, with information concerning his movements continuing to be examined as enquiries progress.
