A veteran British magazine publisher died in a car crash in Thailand on Monday afternoon.
Colin Hastings, publisher of the English-language lifestyle magazine ‘Big Chilli’, crashed his car into a residential wall in Chonburi province on April 29.
Medics and rescuers pulled the 73-year-old from his Toyota Vios, where the airbags had deployed, and tried to revive him with CPR, but to no avail.
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:15 p.m.
Colin’s Thai daughter Angie Hastings, a former actress, posted a photo of her father on Instagram with a short caption: ‘I lost my father – we are still in shock. I just need some time.’
Angie appeared in several Thai television series and films between 2000 and 2016 and holds a bachelor’s degree in media studies from Kingston University.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) wrote in a tribute: “A veteran British journalist with Fleet Street experience, Colin arrived in Bangkok in 1973 and worked on numerous publications at the Bangkok Post and Media Transasia.”
Colin’s wrecked car is seen outside a house in Chonburi province, Thailand after the accident. Oil can be seen from the damaged car
Medics and rescuers removed the 73-year-old from his Toyota Vios, where the airbags had deployed, and tried to revive him with CPR, but to no avail.
Colin’s Thai daughter Angie Hastings, a former actress, posted a photo of her father on Instagram with a short caption: ‘I lost my father – we are still in shock. I just need some time.”
Colin Hastings, 73, from Kingston, was the publisher of the English-language lifestyle magazine ‘Big Chilli’ in Thailand
Police Lieutenant Santichon Hoomart of Sattahip Police Station said: “The car may have been traveling at high speed before the collision. It was determined that the driver had an underlying medical condition. We are investigating whether this caused the crash.”
The police officer said the homeowner called police when the car crashed into their wall.
The officer added: “It is not believed the victim was intoxicated. There was no smell of alcohol. There are no other charges in the case and no one is suspected of any crime.
‘It was an accident. The driver’s insurance will cover the damage to the wall.’
Colin’s body was taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Bangkok Police Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Tributes to the beloved journalist and publisher have since poured in on social media.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) wrote in a tribute: ‘A veteran British journalist with Fleet Street experience, Colin arrived in Bangkok in 1973 and worked on numerous publications at the Bangkok Post and Media Transasia.
‘He became the first editor of Thailand Tatler in 1991 and launched his own expat-oriented publication, Big Chilli, in 1999, which he kept afloat while print media around the world went bankrupt.
‘Colin was an excellent squash player and an excellent all-round athlete. He was a member of the board of the British Club and moved as easily in Thai society as in foreign circles.
‘The FCCT will publish a fuller tribute to Colin in the coming days, together with details of the arrangements for his funeral.’
The BigChilli said in a statement on its Facebook page on April 29: “It is with heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of Colin Hastings this afternoon following a tragic car accident. We are deeply saddened by this loss.
“Further details will be shared as we receive them. Please keep Colin’s family and loved ones in your thoughts at this difficult time.”
Staff at Colin’s local pub, The Royal Oak Bangkok, paid tribute to their ‘much loved’ regular.
Colin was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.15pm
Colin built a storied career in journalism, working for numerous publications including the Bangkok Post, Thailand Tatler and Media Transasia, before founding his magazine Big Chilli in 1999.
They said: ‘All the staff at The Royal Oak are deeply shocked by the tragic news of the death of our dear friend Colin Hastings.
‘Firstly, we would like to extend our sincere condolences from all of us at the Oak to Colin’s family and friends at this difficult time.
‘Colin visited this building long before most of the staff were born. In all that time, I doubt you’ll find anyone with a bad word to say about him, especially our employees whom he always treated with the utmost respect.”
The tribute continued: “Colin was a member of our Sunday Club, an informal group of expat residents who have lived in the Oak for a long time. I’m not sure Sunday will ever be the same.
“Our small, close-knit community has been deeply affected by the loss of our dear friend Colin and we will hold our own fitting tribute to him in due course.”
A long-time member of the FCCT, Colin arrived in Bangkok in 1973, shortly before the fall of Saigon in the Vietnam War two years later.
He built a storied career in journalism, working for numerous publications including the Bangkok Post, Thailand Tatler and Media Transasia, before founding his magazine Big Chilli in 1999.
The magazine has an estimated monthly circulation of 35,000 copies and is distributed across Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Rayong, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Phuket.