5 dead and 33 injured in Surat Thani coach bus accident
A coach bus driver crashed into a tree along the Asian Highway 41 in the southern province of Surat Thani, resulting in the deaths of five passengers and injuries to 33 others. Three of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
The accident occurred in Chaiya district at approximately 7.30pm yesterday, January 1. The severely damaged green coach bus reportedly struck a roadside tree and overturned onto the central reservation.
According to MGR Online, the bus was carrying 36 passengers travelling from Samut Sakhon province to Yala. Most of the passengers were elderly, and the accident happened during their journey home.
The bus driver, 47 year old Suthep Boonchum, and an assistant sustained only minor injuries. Many passengers were trapped inside the vehicle. Five of them died at the scene, three suffered critical injuries, and 28 sustained minor injuries.
The deceased have been identified as 54 year old Sudawadee Tousi, 61 year old Sutham Tousi, 74 year old Suthon Prommanit, 58 year old Nachanok Somrang, and an unidentified woman.
Suthep admitted to MGR Online that he was unfamiliar with the route and lost control of the vehicle, leading to the crash.
Amarin TV reported that one passenger noticed a large wooden stick in the middle of the road and suspected it had been left by a careless road construction team. Another passenger heard a loud crashing sound just before the bus collided with the central reservation.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by officers from Chaiya Police Station. Suthep has been initially charged with reckless driving causing death, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 baht under Section 291 of the Criminal Law.
Surat Thani has become the province with the highest number of road accidents during this year’s 10 Dangerous Days road safety campaign, as reported by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The province recorded 62 accidents, 12 fatalities, and 73 injuries during the period.
In a related incident reported three days ago, 17 Thai and foreign passengers were injured when a tourist bus collided with a trailer in the southern province of Chumphon. The driver admitted to being distracted after his phone fell beneath his seat.
