A woman died while five others were injured when a pickup truck skidded down a bumpy road verge and crashed into a nearby tea shop.

The truck driver, Anan Sakulong, 41, allegedly dozed off while driving at a highway in Songkhla, Thailand on December 7.

Anan said he was shaken after skidding to the rocky verge but it was too late when he tried to take over the steering wheel.

He said: "I tried to slam the brakes I had already smashed into a cafe tent before I knew it."

The tent was standing next to the road where customers were having drinks prepared by the shop owner.

The vehicle ran over the tent, tables, and chairs hitting five people, including the shop owner, along the way.

Paramedics arrived to assist the injured before taking all six of them including the driver to the hospital.

A female customer who sustained critical injuries reached the hospital but did not survive.

The other injured people are still recovering at the hospital after their wounds and bruises were treated.

The car's bumper was squashed due to impact while the tea shop was totally wrecked from the incident.

The police are still investigating the cause of the crash and will question the driver after he has been discharged from the hospital.