(Bangkok) A double-decker bus crashed into a tree in southern Thailand, killing at least 14 people and injuring 32, police said Tuesday.
The long-distance bus was traveling from Bangkok to the kingdom’s far south when it collided with a tree in the coastal province of Prachuap Khiri Khan on Monday night.
Photos published in the local press show the front part of the bus cut in two by the force of the collision, with the tree embedded in the middle.
“According to the preliminary investigation, 14 people died and 32 were injured,” said Arnon Tangto, police investigator in Huay Yang district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, adding that an investigation was underway. course.
The cause of the crash has not been confirmed, but police suspect the driver – who was seriously injured but survived – may have been sleep deprived.
“We are working with the hospital to check his blood alcohol level,” said Mr. Arnon.
Police continue to investigate whether those who died were all Thai.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of road accidents in the world, with around 20,000 people killed each year, according to the World Health Organization.