Van plunges into ravine on Chiang Mai-Pai route
A passenger van on the Chiang Mai-Pai route lost control of his vehicle and veered off the road, plummeting approximately 15 metres into a ravine yesterday evening.
The vehicle was extensively damaged and all 14 passengers on board were injured. Emergency services, including local police, hospital medical teams, and military units, were dispatched to the scene to provide assistance and manage the traffic congestion caused by the accident.
The accident took place approximately 17 kilometres from the Mae Ping checkpoint in Pai district, Mae Hong Son province, on a particularly treacherous stretch of road known for its sharp curves and steep inclines. At the scene, authorities discovered the van, operated by a company that regularly transports tourists, including foreign passengers aged between 19 and 28, travelling from Chiang Mai towards the district of Pai.
The incident occurred on Highway 1095 between kilometre markers 82 and 83 in the Mae Hee subdistrict of Pai. The 14 injured individuals comprised 10 women, three men, and the 50 year old driver. All were promptly transported to Pai Hospital for medical treatment. The exact cause of the accident is currently under investigation, reported KhaoSod.
The emergency response was swift, with the Border Patrol Police Unit 336 at the Mae Ping checkpoint, Pai Hospital medical teams, Pai police, and soldiers from the Singha Nakhon Military Unit at the Mae Ya checkpoint all converging at the site. The accident caused a severe traffic jam as the responders worked to clear the scene and attend to the wounded.
In related news, a tragic incident struck a passenger van when one of its tyres unexpectedly burst, leading to the vehicle colliding with a tree. This unfortunate event resulted in one fatality and several injuries. The accident transpired at 5am on January 3 on Rojana Road, en route to Ayutthaya, near both a school and a PTT petrol station.
The van had been commissioned by a group of workers who were returning to Bangkok from Nakhon Phanom.
