Tour bus driver flees scene after crash in Thailand, 1 dead, 40 injured

A tour bus driver fled the scene after losing control and crashing in Maha Sahakham province in northeast Thailand this morning. One person was killed in the crash and 40 more people were injured.

At 12.05am, officers at Rat Charoen Police Station were informed that a Thai Sriram Company’s tour bus from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok lost control and crashed into a lamppost on Highway 202 near the U-turn in front of Ban Nong Hi village in Mueang Tao subdistrict, Phayakkhaphum Phisai district.

Police rushed to the scene with rescue workers from the Mueang Tao Subdistrict Organisation, the Nadoon Rescue Unit and Phayak Rescue Unit.

Rescue workers helped trapped passengers out of the bus one by one, which was found lying on its side in the ditch in the middle of the highway.

One person died at the scene, later identified as 34 year old Umaporn Khamphapan from Yasathon province.

Many people were injured: 20 were taken to Phayakkhaphun Phisai Hospital for treatment, 10 were taken to Pathumrat Hospital in Roi Et province, and 8 people were taken to Kasetvisai Hospital in Roi Et province. The remaining injured passengers did not wish to receive hospital treatment.

There was no sign of the driver, Toi, who fled the scene after the crash. Police said they are tracking down Toi who will be prosecuted according to the law.

Witnesses said there was low visibility and heavy rain at the time of the incident last night. The driver lost control and crashed into a lamppost, flinging the tour bus onto its side into the ditch in between the lanes.

A multiple vehicle crash killed two people and injured 13 more in Chiang Rai province on Tuesday last week. Responders found a 14 year old girl and a 60 year old pickup truck driver dead at the scene.

A public bus knocked down and killed a 83 year old woman on a zebra crossing at Si Yan Intersection in Bangkok at 7am yesterday. The bus driver confessed he did not see the victim crossing the road when he made a turn.

Earlier this month, a 20 year old drunk driver crashed his Mercedes-Benz into a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok. The driver was caught on camera fleeing the scene with the victim still clinging to the car bonnet.