Tour Bus Crashes into Freight Truck, 7 Passengers Killed 40 Injured

A tour bus taking health volunteers on a study trip to Pattaya has crashed into a freight truck killing 7 and injuring 40 others. The freight loaded with cassava roots at an intersection in Nakhon Ratchasima.

The fatal tour bus crash happened at the Chai Mongkhol bypass on the Ratchasima-Pak Thong Chai route in Nakhon Ratchasima. Thailand Police the Pho Klang police station, who was alerted at 3.48am.

The tour bus was carrying 47 health volunteers from Roi Et on a study trip to Pattaya. Police and rescue workers who arrived at the scene found the bus overturned, with many tour bus passengers injured. Many passengers were screaming for help as they were trapped in the wreckage of the tour bus.

Rescue workers rushed to retrieve all the people from the wreckage. Seven people were found dead and 40 injured. The injured were sent to nearby hospitals in Pattaya, Thailand.

About 50 meters away, a 22-wheel trailer also layed overturned with cassava roots scattered over the road. According to the Bangkok Post, police investigators said the tour bus was taking health volunteers from Ban Nam Sai to Pattaya.

Tour Buss also travelling a high speed

One survivor on the tour bus told police that it was travelling at such a high speed that the passengers could not sleep. Before the crash, the driver briefly dozed off at the wheel and some passengers urged him to stop for a rest.

A passenger told police the driver said he could not do so because he had arranged to meet other tour bus drivers. The passenger went on to say as they sped toward the intersection, the bus rammed into the trailer truck.

Consequently the driver lost control and the bus overturned. Police investigators were also checking the identities of those killed. The officers also believed the bus driver might be among the dead.

Another source said five of the dead people had been identified. They were Pinit Kaensakho, 44; Phenchan Anuprai; Ekkaphol Singboran; Srisurat Krachangchan; and Pitak Chamchong.

The identities of the two other dead passengers were also being verified.