One person was killed and nine others injured when a pickup truck driver crashed into roadside noodle stalls while allegedly high on methamphetamine.

Kiatisak Wongchalee, 21, reportedly consumed the tablets, known locally as 'Yaba', washed down with alcohol before driving to pick up his mother in Udon Thani province, Thailand, on October 24 evening.

However, he allegedly blacked out while passing through the poorly-lit Nong Khai bypass junction. His black Isuzu D-Max pickup reportedly ploughed through a noodle shop with many customers - scattering food, chairs, kitchenware - before crashing into a nearby tree.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Peera Rasri of the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station said the accident happened near a fuel station at around 9 pm.

Authorities found driver Kiatisak waiting at the scene with his schoolgirl sister. Both were uninjured.

One customer, Chatchai, 51, was dead at the scene. Nine other people were wounded - four of them severely.

Police Colonel Phattanawong Chanphon, superintendent of the Udon Thani City Police Station, said: 'From the interrogation, it was found that he was going to pick up his mother in Udon Thani City. An alcohol test showed that he had a small amount of alcohol in his blood not exceeding the legal limit.

'However, it was found that he had used methamphetamine. There was clear evidence of drug paraphernalia in his car. As for the cause of the accident, it must be investigated in more detail. We will inspect his home for more evidence.'

The policeman added that officers will ask local authorities to add more streetlights in the area.

Kiatisak claimed he had been sleep-deprived after working long hours at his fuel station job for two weeks. He declined to give further details to local media, saying he was 'in shock' over the accident.

He was taken to the police station and charged with 'reckless driving causing death and severe injury' and 'consuming Category 1 narcotics'.

Ruedee, 42, the sister of the lone casualty, said: 'After work, my brother Chatchai often visited the noodle stall with his wife, child, and niece. I passed by the scene today after the accident, and I couldn't believe he had died in the crash.'

Stall regular Ruethairat, 43, said: 'Today, I came to eat noodles with my husband and son. While we were eating, we saw a pickup truck speeding towards the shop. There was smoke billowing out and the pickup truck veered towards us. It barely missed me. We are safe but I feel sorry for the victims.'

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.

However, a lack of road safety education in schools along with notoriously easy driving tests, police failures to enforce road laws, and chronic under-investment in infrastructure, all appear to hamper the efforts.