Four people lost their lives, and five others were injured, including a monk, when the passenger van transporting them on a pilgrimage collided with a trailer truck in Tha Tako district, Nakhon Sawan, on Wednesday morning.
The accident happened around kilometre marker 84+801 on Highway 11 near Ban Khok Kwai Yai in Donkha subdistrict.
Pol Lt Col Phisol Phasuk, a duty officer, said he was informed of the crash at about 7 a.m. Police and rescue workers were sent to the scene immediately.
Upon arrival, they found an 18-wheel trailer truck parked on the roadside with a Nakhon Sawan licence plate. The truck’s rear end was damaged. Nearby, a passenger van with Bangkok plates was severely wrecked, its roof torn off and lying in the middle of the road.
Inside the van, four passengers—two men and two women—were found dead. One of the deceased was a Buddhist monk. Five injured passengers had already been transported to the hospital.
The trailer truck driver, identified as Ror Changniam, was waiting at the scene for police. He explained that he had been driving to Nong Bua district to collect sugarcane. As he slowed down to park on the roadside, he heard a loud crash and realized a vehicle had struck his truck.
He stepped out to investigate and saw the van badly damaged, with people trapped inside. Some passengers had died on impact, while others were injured and crying for help. He assisted in helping some of the injured out of the wreckage.
Among the injured was a Buddhist monk and the van’s driver. According to the monk, the driver appeared drowsy before the collision.
Pol Lt Col Phisol stated that the passenger van carried Buddhist monks and followers from Wat Phra Dhammakaya. As part of their pilgrimage, they were travelling to a branch temple in Phichit province.
Preliminary investigations suggest the van driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Police are continuing their inquiry into the incident.
