Bus Crashes in Central Thailand Killing 5 Passengers
At least five passengers have been killed and 30 injured when their air-conditioned bus crashed into a supporting pillar of a flyover in front of a shopping mall in Saraburi Saturday.
According to police in Saraburi, the bus, which started its journey in Roi-et, was headed for Bangkok when the tragic accident occurred.
Investigators believe the driver fell asleep behind the wheel. However, the driver denied this and claimed that one of the tires might have burst, which caused him to lose control of the air-conditioned bus.
Various hospitals in the province have been able to treat the injured passengers.
Later, the Transport Company stated that the Saraburi bus terminal master had been instructed to assist all the passengers involved in the accident.
Bus Accidents are a problem in Thailand
The impact of accidents in Thailand occurring on public transportation that carry a large number of passengers has become a serious safety issue for the Transport Department.
Accidents can have grave consequences, a Transportation Department spokesperson said. Especially when there are many lives at stake and where there are no protection systems installed in buses.
Approximately 4,000 bus accidents occur each year in Thailand, accounting for 3% of all accidents involving vehicles, according to the spokesperson.
In Bangkok alone, there are 2,600 bus accidents annually, which accounts for 65% of the national total.
Thailand’s roads are some of the most lethal in the world, killing around 24,000 people each year, according to the World Health Organisation.
More than half of accidents involve motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians though bus crashes involving tourists and migrant workers are also common.
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