Van crash in Nakhon Si Thammarat leaves nine injured

A passenger van lost control and crashed into a power pole, causing it to overturn and nearly resulting in a mass casualty event. Nine passengers were injured and swiftly rescued from the vehicle and taken to the hospital.

The incident occurred yesterday on the Nakhon–Hua Sai Road in Suan Luang, Chaloem Phra Kiat district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Police Major Ekchak Mukda, an investigator at the Chaloem Phra Kiat Police Station, received the report and, together with rescue teams from the Tai Tek Tung Foundation, Pracharuamjai Foundation, and medical personnel from Chaloem Phra Kiat Hospital, rushed to the scene.

Upon arrival, the rescue teams found a white Toyota passenger van from Nakhon Si Thammarat overturned in the middle of the four-lane road. The vehicle was severely damaged, and both the passengers and the driver were trapped inside.

Rescue workers immediately began extracting the nine injured individuals from the wreckage, providing initial first aid to some before transporting them to Chaloem Phra Kiat Hospital. Additionally, the crash had knocked down two to three power poles.

Through the investigation, it was discovered that Prasit, the van driver, had picked up passengers from a queue in Hua Sai district to take them to downtown Nakhon Si Thammarat. As the vehicle approached the scene of the accident, it lost control and collided with the power poles in the middle of the four-lane road before veering into the median and overturning, resulting in injuries to all nine individuals, including the driver.

The preliminary assumption for the cause of the accident is that the driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel, leading to the near-fatal crash, reported KhaoSod.

Rescue teams worked diligently to provide immediate assistance, demonstrating their commitment to public safety. The quick response likely prevented further harm and ensured that the injured received timely medical care.