Bus Plunges off Bridge En Route to Chiang Rai, 29 Dead – VIDEO

The accident occurred around midnight in Lom Sak district, Phetchabun province while the bus was en route to the northern province of Chiang Rai

 

PHETCHABUN – The Royal Thai Police have reported that at least 29 people have been killed and four badly injured when a bus plunged into a deep ravine in the  northeast Province of  Phetchabun Thailand.

The accident occurred around midnight in Lom Sak district, Phetchabun province while the bus was en route to the northern province of Chiang Rai.

Map locating Lom Sak district in Thailand where at least 29 people were killed in a bus crash

“We suspect the bus driver fell asleep,” Major General Sukit Samana, police commander of Phetchabun province said.

“We found 28 bodies in the ravine, which is about 30 metres deep. And one died at the hospital,” he said.

Four others were in a critical condition the eyewitness who informed the police said the bus went very fast before it plunged into the ravine.

The bus, which was carrying 40 passengers, was completely destroyed in the accident.

The accident occurred as millions of Thai motorists are expected to travel during the New Year holidays, deadly road accidents are common in Thailand.

Better lighting and warning signs will be installed to help prevent a repeat of the horror, caretaker Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said.

Mr Chadchart said he had inspected the accident scene in Lom Sak district and also visited the four survivors from the accident, who were now in a safe condition.

He said a lesson must be learned from the accident at Por Khun Pa Muang bridge. The rails and barriers were  too low so it must be made higher. There must have also be imroved lighting and clear warning signs in accident high-risk areas

The caretaker minister said the Department of Land Transport had to be strict with all drivers of public vehicles nationwide about drinking alcohol.The vehicles’ condition needed to be regularly and carefully checked