Thirty Passengers Survive after Bus Driver Falls Asleep at the Wheel in Chumphon

Chumphon –

Thirty passengers on a bus from Hat Yai in Song Khla to Ranong have escaped serious injuries after a driver fell asleep at the wheel in the Lang Suan district.

The Lang Suan Police was notified of the accident on Saturday in the early morning (December 23^rd) on the Asia 41 main road in the Tha Mapla sub-district. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the damaged passenger bus going from Ranong – Hatyai on the roadside.

Fifteen passengers who had sustained various injuries were taken to nearby hospital. Fifteen others had sustained only minor injuries.

The bus driver, Mr. Wancha Raksajan, 48, from Nakhon Si Thammara, told Thai media that they were travelling from Hat Yai in Song Khla heading to Ranong. He admitted that he fell asleep at the wheel before jolting awake suddenly and trying to stop the bus on the roadside.

The Lang Suan Police are continuing their investigation for further legal action.

Similar accidents:

Huai Yang police officers received an accident report of a coach bus colliding with roadside trees on the Phetkasem Road, Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan. There were 14 casualties and many injuries reported.

Automotive engineers, the Thai Department of Land Transport, and relevant agencies performed a field inspection of a Bangkok-Nathawi coach bus that had crashed into the roadside trees at the Hatwanakorn National Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The death toll rose to 15 as of December 10th, 2023.