Sunday, December 20, 2015

12 Dead As Tourist Bus Crashes In Thailand: Police


In a 2015 study on global road safety, the World Health Organization found Thailand had the world's second most dangerous roads with 36.2 fatalities per 100,000 people ©Stephen Shaver (AFP)

At least 12 people including Chinese tourists were killed on Sunday when a bus plunged off a road in Thailand, the latest fatal smash in a country with some of the world's most dangerous highways. Investigators said the accident happened shortly after midday in Doi Saket district 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the northern city of Chiang Mai.

"Initial reports show there are 14 people injured and 12 people have died," an officer at Doi Saket police station told AFP, asking not to be named.

AFP report continues:
"It's not only Chinese but also Thai," he replied, when asked to confirm local media reports that those on board the bus were Chinese tourists.

Multiple images posted online by local news outlets showed a horrific scene as rescuers battled to reach those trapped inside the smashed bus, which had come to rest in thick foliage with its roof caved in.

Some of those still inside had suffered horrific injuries. In one picture seven pieces of white sheeting had been draped to cover either bodies or body parts.

Deadly road accidents are common in Thailand.

In a 2015 study on global road safety the World Health Organization found Thailand had the world's second most dangerous roads with 36.2 fatalities per 100,000 people.

The WTO said the number of official reported road deaths a year in Thailand for 2012, the latest year figures are available for, was 14,059.

But they added that their modelling suggested the true figure is actually closer to 24,000 dead a year.

Tourism is a mainstay of Thailand's otherwise fragile economy, accounting for around 10 percent of GDP, and the December to February period is peak season.
The Chinese travel to Thailand in greater numbers than any other nationality.

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