Bus crash in Tak leaves driver, attendant dead, 35 tourists hurt
A bus driver and attendant died when a bus collided with a tree in the Wang Chao district of Tak province. The incident also left 35 foreign tourists injured.
Police Colonel Wasan Sirikanjakom, head of Wang Chao Police Station, today, February 5, at 1.20am received a report from the Tak Provincial Police emergency centre about the accident on National Highway 1, between kilometres 506 and 507, in Pradang subdistrict, Wang Chao district, Tak province.
Emergency assistance was coordinated with Wang Chao Hospital and rescue units from Wang Chao and Mueang Tak districts, totalling five agencies. Ambulances and cutting equipment were dispatched to the scene.
The bus, operating on route 18 from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, was registered in Bangkok. It had departed from Chiang Mai, travelling through Tak, and was heading towards Bangkok when it veered into the median strip, colliding with a large tree. This led to injuries among 35 foreign tourists and bus staff, with the unfortunate death of two people.
The dead victims included 41 year old bus attendant, Erawan, who died at the scene. She was seated next to the driver. Rescue teams from the Tak Provincial Administration Organisation used cutting equipment to free 65 year old driver, Suwat, who was trapped at the front of the bus for over 20 minutes.
Despite their efforts, Suwat was in shock and unconscious, with no heartbeat. Rescuers performed CPR and used an AED to try and revive him before transporting him to Wang Chao Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Initial inquiries with a witness, a concerned citizen travelling alongside the bus, revealed that the vehicle was speeding along Phahonyothin Road towards Wang Chao district.
As it approached the accident site, the bus began to swerve erratically before plunging into the median and striking the large tree, causing fatalities and numerous injuries, reported KhaoSod.
Police are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
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