Bus overturns on slippery highway, injuring 37 passengers

A public bus skidded off a slippery highway in Nakhon Ratchasima, crashing into a light pole and overturning, and injuring 37 passengers. Rescue efforts were immediately launched to aid the injured.

The incident occurred yesterday when Police Lieutenant Colonel Chakraphop Chueasai of Pak Thong Chai Police Station in Nakhon Ratchasima received a report of a public bus accident. The crash happened on the 304 highway in Pak Thong Chai district. Emergency services, including Hook 31 rescue units from various locations quickly arrived at the scene.

Several ambulances from Pak Thong Chai, Suranaree University of Technology Hospital, Chokchai Hospital, and Pak Thong Chai Subdistrict Municipality were deployed to assist the injured passengers.

At the scene, rescue units found a blue and white public bus on the Nong Khai-Rayong route that had collided with a light pole, which was broken, and overturned into the median of the highway. The bus carried 43 passengers, of whom 37 were injured, 19 men and 18 women.

Emergency responders provided first aid to the injured passengers and transported them to three hospitals. Pak Thong Chai Hospital received 26 passengers (14 men and 12 women), Suranaree University of Technology Hospital treated seven passengers (four men and three women), and Chokchai Hospital admitted four passengers (one man and three women).

The remaining six passengers were uninjured and continued their journey on another bus.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the accident was likely caused by slippery road conditions due to continuous rainfall. The bus had been travelling from Bo Win in Si Racha District, Chon Buri, heading towards Nong Khai province. The crash occurred as the bus was descending a hill at high speed, causing it to lose control and overturn along the slippery highway.

Police at Pak Thong Chai Police Station will conduct further investigations by interviewing the passengers and the driver to determine the exact cause of the accident, reported KhaoSod.