At least 17 deaths reported in coach bus accident in Prachin Buri
A coach bus crashed into a traffic barrier and overturned on the side of a road in the central province of Prachin Buri at 3.30am today, February 26, resulting in at least 17 deaths and multiple injuries.
Officers from the Wang Khon Police Station in the Nadee district of Prachin Buri closed the right lane of Road Number 304 to rescue passengers, the driver, and a worker on the damaged bus.
According to a report by PPTV HD, rescuers found 17 bodies during an initial search of the vehicle. Injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals but the total number of victims has not yet been confirmed.
The Facebook page Mittraphap Road shared at about 9am that the injured victims were transported in 10 emergency vans and urged other motorists on Mittraphap Road to give way to the rescue team.
Most of the victims of the fatal accident were officials from the Phon Charoen Sub-district Municipality Office in the Isaan province of Bueng Kan. They were on a work trip to visit another sub-district municipality office in the eastern province of Rayong to improve their operations in Bueng Kan.
PPTV HD reported that police suspect brake system failure was the cause of the accident. However, specialists and relevant officials will investigate the coach bus to determine the exact cause of the incident.
According to Highway Police officers, there was no traffic congestion at the scene. Officials are awaiting the removal of the coach bus from the site to transfer it to the police station for further investigation.
Many Thai netizens, especially locals in the area, took to the comments section of the Highway Police Facebook page to complain about the lack of street lights and the poor design of the road, which they believe contributed to the fatal accident.
Another recent fatal coach bus accident occurred on February 20 in the southern province of Phang Nga. The bus overturned and collided with an electricity pole at the roadside, leading to the death of a three year old boy. Eleven other passengers were injured in the incident.
Last month, five people lost their lives in a coach bus accident in the southern province of Surat Thani. The bus driver claimed that he was unfamiliar with the route and lost control of the vehicle, causing it to crash into trees at the roadside.
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