Australian man killed in Thailand crash

An Australian man on his honeymoon in Thailand has been killed in a four-wheel drive
accident.
Another three people - two women and a child - have been admitted to hospital, the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told AAP on Saturday.
The Phuket accident involving a partially open-top jeep occurred on Friday (Thai time).
"Consular officials from the embassy in Bangkok have travelled to Phuket to provide
assistance to Australians involved in a motor vehicle accident in Phuket," the
spokeswoman said.
"We understand that nine Australians were involved in the incident. One man has been
killed, two women and one child have been admitted to hospital.
"The five remaining Australians involved were treated for minor injuries but were
not admitted to hospital.
"The families of all Australians involved have been contacted by DFAT and some of
the families are making plans to travel to Phuket as soon as possible," the
spokeswoman said.
Twenty-six-year-old Sydney man Michael Malonzo was only married last Saturday, an
old school friend who didn't want to be named, told AAP.
"I can honestly not say a mean thing about him," she told AAP on Saturday.
"He was such a nice guy, really friendly and got along with everyone.
"Awesome dancer and loved playing basketball! I've just spoken to some girls from
high school and everyone is in shock.
"It's such a big loss, he really was an awesome guy."
The Phuket Wan website says the tour jeep rolled down a steep embankment and came to
rest after injuring a young elephant tethered to a stake in an adventure park.
Sky News footage shows the vehicle on its roof after crashing off the Bhudda Road in
southern Phuket.
Mr Malonzo's 26-year-old wife Aimee (Aimee), a dance teacher from Camden, on
Sydney's southwestern outskirts, is in hospital in Phuket in a satisfactory
condition with a fractured pelvis, Phuket Wan reports.
She told the website that she believed the jeep's driver missed a gear change or the
gear slipped when taking a sharp left-hand bend on a steep descent.
"We had just been enjoying a ride on some elephants," she said.
"My parents are flying out from Australia and they will be here late tomorrow."
The website says among the injured are: Tori Giles, 14, his brother Tylar, 11, from
Bridgetown in WA, and their mother, who suffered a broken arm.
The hospital named the injured as: Aimee Dykstra (Ms Malonzo's maiden name), Nicole
Wilmot, 24, Tylar Giles, 11, Tori Jay Giles, 14, Dannet Lea Roberts, 49, Sarah
Louise Korver, 11, Margaret Korver, 41, Susan Rose McNelis, 16, Authai Choichana and
the driver, Damrong Teamsamer, 35.
All were in a satisfactory condition, Phuket Wan said.
The young elephant was treated for its injuries and said to be recovering, the site
said.
Mr Malonzo is the second Australian to die in Phuket this year.
Sydney lawyer Roger Stephen Quinn, 55, died on January 3 when the taxi in which he
was travelling crashed enroute from Patong, Phuket's popular beach, to Phuket
International Airport, reported local newspaper Phuket Wan.
His funeral was on Thursday at All Saints' Anglican Church in Balgowlah, on Sydney's
north shore.
An Australian woman also in the taxi was taken to nearby Vachira Hospital, the paper
reported earlier, without detailing her injuries.