Northern Thailand
Passenger Van Crashes into Tree Killing Two and Injuring Eight
CHIANG RAI – A passenger van bound for Chiang Rai has run off the road and crashed into a tree, Killing two passengers and injuring eight others.
The fatal crash occurred in Ko Kha district of Lampang in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Pol Capt Kankawee Meetham told reporters.
Police and rescue workers arriving at the scene around 4am to find a white passenger van crumpled up against a tree in the center of a ditch.
Rescue workers release trapped, injured passengers from the wreckage of the van that crashed in Lampang’s Ko Kha district early on Tuesday. Two passengers were killed and eight other people, including the driver, injured. – PhotoAssawin Pinitwong
The driver and seven passengers, six men and a woman, were injured and trapped in the wreckage.
Once freed from the wreckage eight of the passengers were ruched to Ko Kha hospital.
Two other passengers were dead at the scene. They were identified as Maung Ngo, 49, and Myo Naing, 44 from Myanmar.
The injured van driver Phitsanu Sitsungnoen, 36, told police he was taking the passengers from Tak province to Chiang Rai and fell asleep at the wheel.
He said he was awoken when the van crashed into the tree after it went into the ditch.
Police said they would investigate the driver further.
