A tour bus accident in eastern Thailand has left at least 18 people dead and 23 injured after the vehicle overturned into a ditch on Wednesday, Al Jazeera reports.
The tragic incident occurred in Prachinburi province, around 96 miles east of Bangkok.
According to Colonel Sophon Phramaneehe, police believe brake failure led to the accident. He said that the victims were all adults on a study trip.
The bus, carrying 49 people including the driver, all of whom were Thai nationals, went off the road, leaving a scene of chaos and devastation. Social media images depicted rescue workers and medical personnel tending to the injured near the overturned bus, its undercarriage exposed.
Local official Somjai Phutthasena reported that approximately 20 injured passengers have been hospitalized, with concerns that some remain in critical condition.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and announced that a thorough investigation into the accident is underway.
The incident underscores the ongoing problem of road safety in Thailand. Road accidents and fatalities are alarmingly common in the country, often attributed to lax enforcement of vehicle safety standards and the poor condition of many roads.
The World Health Organization’s 2023 report ranked Thailand ninth out of 175 member countries for road traffic deaths,
This tragedy comes on the heels of another devastating road accident last year, when a school bus fire caused by a gas cylinder leak killed 23 people, including 16 students. That incident was considered the deadliest road accident in Thailand in a decade.
