Police in the northern province of Lampang report a passenger van from Chiang Rai carrying 11 passengers, including the driver, crashed into a tree in the middle meridian, killing four and injuring nine others.
Pol. Lt. Col. Aruntree Suthisongkran, an Investigation Officer from Lampang, told reporters that the accident happened on Phahonyothin Road, the Ngao-Phayao route, in the Ban Na Ram area, Village 1, Ban Rong Subdistrict, Ngao District, Lampang Province.
He said police, rescue workers from the Ngao District Rescue Association, and rescue workers from Ngao Hospital rushed to the scene, where they found a gray Toyota passenger van with Chiang Rai license plates crashed into a tree in the median strip.
The van was completely destroyed. The roof was torn off, all the windows were smashed, and the passengers’ belongings were scattered everywhere. There were 4 dead and 9 injured who were thrown from the van. The driver, 2 women and one soldier were killed.
Rescue workers rushed the injured 7 of whom were soldiers from Khun Chuang Thammarat Camp, Phayao Province, to the hospital.
Pol. Lt. Col. Aruntree said that, based on an initial investigation, the passengers were travelling home to Phayao Province from a long-tail boat race in Pathum Thani Province, where the soldiers had won second place.
It is believed that the passenger van driver most likely fell asleep, causing him to lose control and crash into the Sak tree in the middle of the road. Police accident scene investigators are continuing their investigation and are waiting for the doctor’s approval to question the injured passengers.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
