Patcharin Tirasuwan’s touching final act before fatal crash at Bald Hills

A man charged following a fatal crash at Bald Hills has appeared in court as the family of the woman killed say she was realising a dream to live in Australia.

One of the cars involved in a horrific crash at Bald Hills on Sunday night. Picture: 7News

The family of a young woman who was killed in a horrific crash in Brisbane’s north have revealed she was accomplishing her “dream” before she died, with friends saying she had so much more left to give.

Restaurant worker Patcharrin (Patty) Tirasurwan, 31, was killed on Gympie Arterial Rd at Bald Hills on Sunday night while she was on the side of the road due to a flat tyre.

Nine other people who worked with her at Kinn Thai at Westfield North Lakes were seriously injured when a Toyota Hiace crashed into two vehicles that were stationary on the side of the road.

Three people are still in hospital, while one remains in ICU.

Nicholas Romano Bonomi has been charged with dangerous driving causing death and unlicensed driving.

His matter was heard before the court at Brisbane Arrests Court on Thursday morning.

He did not appear in person. There was no application for bail

The matter was adjourned to April 28.

Beam Tirasuwan told The Courier-Mail her sister had fulfilled the family’s wish of becoming a teacher before she died and was set out on a new journey.

Patcharin Tirasuwan worked at Kinn Thai at North Lakes.

“Back when she was in Thailand, there was a time when she worked as a kindergarten teacher, and she did it beautifully,” she said.

“She fulfilled her family’s wish of becoming a teacher, a stable and respected profession. And she made it happen. She worked hard, stayed committed, and made her family proud. She truly loved children, and the children, and their parents loved her back just as much.

“One of her greatest joys was travelling abroad. She loved the feeling of exploring new places, meeting new people, and seeing the world. Living in Australia was her dream, a dream she worked hard for and cherished deeply.”

Beam said her sister was a lovely, cheerful, kind-hearted and warm person.

“She carried herself with sincerity and determination. Whatever she set her mind to, she would pursue it with passion and persistence, always seeking knowledge to ensure she could do it well,” she said.

“She constantly cared for those around her, always putting others before herself.”

Thai restaurant Patcharin Tirasuwan was killed in a traffic accident on the Gympie Arterial Rd at Bald Hills on Sunday, April 13.

Her family now face the mission of getting Patty’s body back to Thailand, with Kinn Thai manager Ann kJ vowing to do everything she can to give the family the closure they need.

Her friends have also been heartbroken since the incident. One friend who Patty had been friends with for 14 years shared with The Courier-Mail the agony of losing her.

“I honestly don’t think I’d be where I am today without her,” he said.

“She deserved so much more than this. There were still so many things she wanted to do, so many lives she would have touched, dreams she would have made real. She had so much left to give, so much left to live.”

A colleague of Patty said she knew she was a hard worker from the moment she met her.

“Even on days when problems arose at work, you always handled them with such grace and efficiency that I often thought to myself — if it had been me, I might not have done it as well as you did,” she said.

“The day I lost you, knowing I would never see you again, I wished it were only a dream. The pain is more than any of us can bear.

Restaurant worker Patcharin Tirasuwan, 31, was killed on the Gympie Arterial Rd on Sunday.

In her final moments, Patty, made the potentially lifesaving decision to usher her friends in a second car saying “Cars around her drive very fast” but as the final one of her friends made it into the car, she was hit and killed by a passing Toyota Hiace.

On Wednesday, the Thai community attended a vigil with friends who knew her and worked with her.

About 40 people chanted and prayed inside the temple.

“People have been saying kind words to us and offering support and we’d like to say thank you to them,” she said.

Ms kJ said they were working on sending her body home because it was important that the family blessed her.

A vigil for Pacharin Tirasuwan on Wednesday. Picture: John Gass

“We will look after her until the end. We will do everything we can,” she said

“We are happy to do whatever the family needs.

“It’s very important to the family because they want to see her,” she said.

“They should get the chance to see her.”

Kinn Thai at Westfield North Lakes is expected to reopen next week but the staff who were injured will have as much time off as they need.

Chearanai Tina Field from the Royal Thai Consulate of Brisbane said the Thai community had rallied since the incident.

“Yesterday I went to the hospital to check on the three still there,” she said.

“One boy has a head injury and the other two aren’t as bad.

The scene of an accident on Gympie Arterial Rd at Bald Hills on April 13. Picture: 7News

“They still don’t know their friend has passed away as they need to focus on their recovery.’

At the vigil on Wednesday people could be seen sobbing. One of the women injured in the crash, Toon, went to the ceremony to remember her dear friend.

Ms Field said the monk blessed Ms Tirasuwan at the ceremony today to help her get into heaven.

In the afternoon the monks will also travel to the crash site where it happened.

Police continue to ask for any dashcam footage from the stretch of the road around 9.40pm.

Originally published as Patcharin Tirasuwan’s touching final act before fatal crash at Bald Hills