KHON KAEN — Thirty-six passengers were injured when a tour bus crashed into a road median in Ban Phai district of this northeastern province early Friday.
Many passengers suspected that the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of the vehicle, said police at Ban Phai station. The bus was en route from Rayong to Nakhon Phanom.
Emergency responders were called to the scene around 3am on Mittraphap Road, near a traffic intersection.
The bus operated by Chan Tour, with licence plates 10-7853 Khon Kaen, was found tipped onto one side on a depressed median, with many passengers trapped inside.
Rescuers used cutting tools to extricate the passengers before transporting them to a nearby hospital.
Two passengers sustained serious injuries, with one suffering a broken arm and undergoing surgery the same day, while another experienced chest tightness.
According to Ban Phai mayor Pichai Wanta, many passengers reported that the bus had slowly drifted out of the lane before falling into the median without braking.
Police were investigating and reviewing surveillance footage to determine the cause of the accident.
The driver will be called in for questioning, and the bus operator will be contacted to assist with the victims' treatment and support.