Lee Kum-ki was found unconscious in the car at the scene of the crash, Pol Lieutenant Rokom Kamkon of Thong Lor Police said, adding that rescue workers took him to Bumrungrad Hospital.

The car’s engine was damaged and its windscreen cracked. Leaked oil from the vehicle had also poured out over the footpath.

Puang Puangpila, 49, a food vendor in the area, said she arrived to open her stall at 6.40am and found the car stopped on the Sukhumvit Road pavement with its engine and front lights still on. She said the driver, who looked like an Asian man his 30s, appeared to be sleeping with the car door open. She then saw the car crash into the stairs of the train station. Passers-by called emergency services.Rokom said Lee was the only person injured in the incident and the cause had yet to be determined. He said the car was fully insured to cover both damage to the vehicle and the stairs.

BTS security cameras failed to record the incident but police were checking nearby CCTV cameras. Rokom said police had ordered the hospital to check Lee’s blood for alcohol or other intoxicants and were awaiting the results. Lee has been charged with reckless driving that caused property damage.