Police Capt Pitiphat Yorddum of Rattaphum Police was notified of the accident at 2am and arrived at the scene on the Asia Highway in Songkhla’s Rattaphum district to find the bus on its side in the dividing ditch between the two sides of the highway. A total of 20 passengers were trapped inside, seven of whom had suffered head injuries.
The Asian Rescue Unit and Rattaphum Hospital emergency medical team helped the trapped passengers out of the bus through the driver’s door and emergency exit. Some of the injured passengers required medical treatment whilst still inside the bus. The injured passengers were then taken to Rattaphum Hospital.
The driver of the bus told Rattaphum Police that a pick-up truck overtook the bus and cut sharply in front, forcing him to break and swerve out of the pick-up’s way. He subsequently lost control of the bus and crashed into the dividing ditch.
Matichon added that police are continuing to investigate the accident.