BANGKOK – At least 18 people were killed, 23 injured and poured into the ditch in eastern Thailand after the failed travel bus.
“It was a downhill road, the brakes failed, and the driver lost control of the vehicle before overturning,” Colonel Sophon Phramaneehe said, adding that those who died were adults on a learning trip.
Police officials told Reuters there were 49 people on the bus, including the driver, including the driver.
Social media posts show that on-site rescue and medical staff in Prachimbry Province, 96 miles east of the Bangkok capital, helped the victims expose their chassis near the bus.
Thai Prime Minister Paetontarn Shinawatra expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said an investigation is underway.
“If a violation of the use of a vehicle that does not meet the standards or participates in the reckless use of a vehicle, legal action will be taken,” she said in an article on X.
“The inspection of the vehicle must be safe and the prescribed standards have been passed before the specified standards are used to prevent accidents and reduce such losses,” she said.
Road accidents and deaths are common in Thailand due to weak implementation of vehicle safety standards and poor road maintenance. According to its 2023 report, Southeast Asian countries rank ninth among 175 World Health Organization member states.
Last year, a school bus caught fire due to a leak in the cylinder, killing 23 people, including 16 students.
