The calamity unfolded at 1 am on December 5, 2023, prompting an urgent response from authorities and rescue services. The bus, operated by Srisiam Dernrot Company Limited, was split in two upon impact, intensifying concerns about road safety on what Prachuap Khiri Khan locals described as a notorious stretch, an accident black spot.
Thailand’s infamous roads and the threat posed by bus drivers falling asleep on long journeys, struck again at approximately 1 am on Tuesday morning with 14 people dead and 35 injured, many of them Muslim Thais, in a horror collision on a notorious stretch of road in Prachuap Khiri Khan province which obliterated the front section of a luxury double-decker tour bus and slit it apart leaving a scene of death and destruction for rescue services who rushed to the scene.
In another devastating early morning tragedy on Thailand’s dangerous roads in the Thap Sakae area of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, a tour bus en route from Bangkok to Na Thawi careened off the road near Wanakorn Beach, crashing into a tree resulting in 14 fatalities and 35 injuries.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Manaporn Charoensri expressed regret as authorities rushed to provide care and assistance.
The calamity struck at 1 am on December 5, 2023, when a tour bus operated by Srisiam Dernrot Company Limited veered off Phetkasem Road.
The bus, carrying 46 passengers and three staff members, left the Southern Bus Terminal, destined for Na Thawi District in Songkhla Province. Preliminary information suggests the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Luxury bus split in two after forceful impact when it plunged from the treacherous road into a large tree causing death and extensive injury in the dark
At the scene, the bus was found split into two halves, its front obliterated by its impact with a tree. The accident occurred on the Petchkasem Road in the Huang Yang Subdistrict of Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.
The road on which the accident occurred, while relatively straight, is known to locals as a treacherous stretch, an accident black spot which has claimed numerous lives before this.
As well as that, the tragedy comes just days after another potential disaster was averted when another luxury tour bus was evacuated in Kanchanaburi after the driver smelled oil fumes.
By the same token, this accident is similar to others often linked with smaller passenger vans and long late-night journeys where drivers can easily fall asleep at the wheel.
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On Tuesday morning, after the alarm was raised by local police, rescuers from Thap Sakae Hospital, Prachuap Khiri Khan Hospital, and volunteer units rushed to extract the injured and provide immediate aid.
Deputy Governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan directed the rescue after scale of the disaster became known to rescuers at the scene, incident centre set up
Earlier it was revealed that the large tour bus was owned by Srisiam Dernrot Company Limited, registration number 14-3301. The front of the vehicle crashed into a tree and it was destroyed by the impact, splitting into two halves.
Subsequently, Deputy Governor Khomkrit Charoenpatanasombat spearheaded an urgent meeting to coordinate relief efforts.
A disaster assistance centre was set up to address the immediate needs of victims. The accident claimed 14 lives, with 35 others hospitalised for injuries.
Sri Siam Dernrot Company promptly organised onward transportation for surviving passengers awaiting to return home and committed to covering associated expenses.
For those who lost their lives, the company pledged to repatriate bodies to their hometowns, offering an initial sum of ฿5,000 per person. Insurance protection assistance, including a death benefit of ฿500,000 per person, will be extended to victims.
Villager told reporters he had lost family members on the notorious roadway where over a dozen people perished on Tuesday morning, need for warnings
Officials worked diligently to identify half of the deceased using facial images, fingerprints, and civil registration databases.
Previously, seven identities were quickly confirmed, while the remaining seven await verification through forensic science.
The tour bus, now parked at Huai Yang Police Station, will undergo a comprehensive investigation as police and inspectors work to ascertain the exact cause of the tragic accident.
Afterwards, local villagers, familiar with the treacherous stretch of road, highlighted its notorious reputation for accidents. A straight road with occasional hills, it has seen numerous incidents, prompting calls for heightened caution from drivers.
Significantly, one villager, who tragically lost family members in a previous accident, urged road users to exercise vigilance on this notorious southern route.
Tragic accident resurrects ongoing debate on renewed safety measures linked to passenger bus services
In view of the scale of the disaster and public interest, an investigation into the cause of the crash has been opened by police and is now ongoing. This comes as hospitals in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province tend to the injured.
Moreover, the public has been left grappling in the aftermath of yet another heartbreaking road accident sparking oft-repeated conversations about the safety of Thailand’s roadways.
In this instance, there have been calls to ban this double-decker type of bus from the roads although this form of transport is very popular in Thailand due to its economical cost, extensive route choice and relative comfort.
New reports from the area suggest that many of the victims were Muslim Thais returning home leading to a religious ceremony being performed within 24 hours by Thap Sakae Hospital.
A list of all passengers has been posted so that relatives can check the information in front of the accident emergency centre in the district or by contacting local emergency services.
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