2 foreigners killed and many injured in minibus accident in Chiang Mai

A minibus overturned on a road in the northern province of Chiang Mai yesterday. Two foreigners were killed and more than 10 passengers were injured in the accident.

The minibus was transporting passengers between Chiang Mai province and Pai district in Mae Hong Son province. When the vehicle reached the Pa Pae district of Chiang Mai at 9.30am yesterday, November 10, the driver reportedly lost control and overturned.

Two foreign passengers reportedly fell out of the car window causing them to lose their lives at the scene. The other Thai and foreign passengers were injured and taken to Mae Tang Hospital. The identities of the two deceased were not released. There was no report on the condition of the minibus driver.

MRG Online reported that the exact cause of the accident had not yet been determined. Some news agencies reported that the vehicle’s tyre exploded, causing the car to lose its balance and crash. Another media outlet suggested that the driver was travelling at a high speed and lost control as he entered the bend.

According to KhaoSod, the minibus’s insurance covered the passengers and would compensate each victim up to 500,000 baht.

Several roads in Thailand’s northern provinces require experienced and skilled drivers, as most of them are mountain pass routes.

A previous accident in Chiang Mai was reported in January when four Chinese tourists and a Thai tour guide were injured after their minibus crashed into an electric pole. The accident happened on the Chaing Mai-Chiang Rai road in Doi Saket district of Chiang Mai province.

The driver escaped unhurt and was being questioned. The development of the case has not been made public.

A few months later, in May, a minibus carrying 30 Chinese nationals overturned in Chiang Rai province. Eight Chinese passengers were injured and the rest panicked. The accident was caused by a burst tyre.