Double Decker Bus Crashes in Central Thailand, Killing Six Passengers Including a Five-Month-old Baby

BANGKOK – Six passengers including a five-month-old baby were killed and nearly 50 others were injured when their double-decker bus went out of control on slippery road in central Thailand and overturned into a ditch early Sunday morning.

Pol Capt Vacharapong Thienpratham, a Khlong Luang police duty officer, told The Nation the accident occurred at about 3.20am, rescue workers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation and other groups arrived at the scene to find many of the passengers still aboard the privately operated Bangkok-Phanomprai bus in the ditch, including two drivers who worked in shifts and were among the injured.

 

The Bangkok Post reports a police investigation revealed that the bus of Prayad Tour Company departed Phanom Phrai district in Roi-et province at 7pm on Saturday. Passengers said the accident happened in the rain after the driver braked suddenly to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of it, causing it to overturn and come to rest in the road median ditch upside down.

A man, four women and a baby girl, about 3-5 months old, were killed. About 50 others were injured. They were rushed separately by rescuers to Thammasat Chalerm Phra Kiat, Bang Pakok Rangsit, Pathumvech, Pattara-Thonburi, Paolo Rangsit and other hospitals in the area.

Police were still looking for the driver, who might be among those admitted to hospital, for questioning.

Source: Bangkok Post, The Nation