Seven people were confirmed dead and 20 others injured early on Monday when a bus collided with two lorries, an accident attributed to malfunctioning brakes. Following the collision, the bus ignited.
Pol Lt Col Siwaphas Phuripaschaiboon, inspector at Wang Khondaeng police station, reported that the bus was en route from Nong Khai to Rayong when it crashed into the rear of two trucks on the hilly terrain of Highway 304 in Na Di district, Prachin Buri province, around 2 am.
He confirmed that seven individuals died at the scene, including the bus driver and his co-driver, with at least 20 passengers sustaining injuries.
An initial probe suggests the likely cause of the deadly crash was the bus’s malfunctioning brakes, according to Pol Lt Col Siwaphas.
The bus belonged to 407 Pattana Co, known for its substandard safety measures.
Trucker Lamsant Phuangphu, who witnessed the incident, noted the bus was moving at an unusually high speed down the hill before it struck the lorries ahead.
Mr. Lamsant, along with other drivers, assisted in rescuing passengers from the bus, which had caught fire following the impact.
This incident echoes a tragic event from earlier this year on February 26, where another bus accident on the same stretch of road claimed 17 lives of government workers from Phon Charoen district in Bung Kan and left 40 injured.
They were on their way to Rayong for a study trip when their bus overturned.
