KHON KAEN — Thirty-six people were hurt after a tour bus hit a median in Ban Phai district, Khon Kaen, early Friday morning. Police from Ban Phai station said many passengers believed the driver may have fallen asleep and lost control.
The tour bus was travelling from Rayong to Nakhon Phanom.
Emergency crews responded around 3 am to Mittraphap Road, near a major intersection. The Chan Tour bus, plate number 10-7853 Khon Kaen, lay on its side on the median. Several passengers were trapped inside. Rescue workers used tools to free those stuck before taking them to the closest hospital.
Two passengers suffered serious injuries. One had a broken arm and needed surgery that day. Another experienced chest pain.
Ban Phai mayor Pichai Wanta noted that many passengers said the bus slowly drifted from its lane and entered the median without braking.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage and investigating to find out what happened. Officers plan to question the driver. The bus company will be asked to help with victims’ care and support.
Tour Bus Accidents in Thailand
Thailand has one of the highest road accident rates in the world. Bus crashes play a large part in this. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that about 20,000 people die in road accidents here each year. That’s over 32 deaths per 100,000 people, with about a million injured every year.
Tour Bus accidents are especially dangerous because they can cause many injuries or deaths at once. Around 4,000 bus crashes happen each year.
Most bus accidents occur during the morning rush (50.4%) and in April (13.8%). Highways without frontage roads account for 74.6% of these crashes. About 30% of fatal accidents take place on curved or Y-shaped roads.
Nearly half of injury accidents happen at median crossings (43.5%) or intersections (59.1%).
Drowsy and wrong-way driving make injuries and deaths more likely, raising the risk by over twice for injuries and even more for fatalities. Sloped roads also increase the chance of getting hurt by three times.
Just last month, a tour bus going from Nong Khai to Rayong crashed into two trucks on Highway 304 because the brakes failed. The bus caught fire. Seven people, including the driver, died. Twenty others were hurt. The operator, 407 Pattana Co., had a poor track record for safety.
In February, a chartered tour bus with 49 adults on a study trip from Bueng Kan to Rayong flipped on Highway 304 in Prachinburi. The brakes failed on a downhill stretch. Eighteen people died and 31 were injured. The Department of Land Transport began checking vehicles more closely after this.
Thailand’s bus safety problem points to deeper issues. Stronger rules, safer vehicles, and better public awareness could help save lives.
Experts and the public are calling for better safety education, clear emergency plans, and a national road safety agency. Progress has been slow, but many believe change is needed now.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
