A passenger van carrying 14 Lao nationals crashed and caught fire in Thailand’s Roi Et province early Tuesday, killing two women and injuring 12 others, Thai media reported.
The van left Bangkok around 9:00 PM on 17 August, carrying all 14 passengers toward Mukdahan, the Thai border town opposite Laos’ Savannakhet province. At approximately 5:20 AM on 18 August, the driver lost control on the Kalasin-Mukdahan road in Phonthong district. The van veered off the road, overturned, and caught fire, which destroyed the vehicle.
The crash killed two women, aged 30 and 60.
Rescue teams transported the 12 injured passengers to nearby hospitals for treatment.
One injured passenger told Thai media that the van had been travelling at roughly 140 kilometers per hour and that the driver appeared to be falling asleep at the wheel. Passengers asked the driver to slow down; he complied briefly, then sped up again, the passenger said.
Thai police have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence and are coordinating with relevant agencies regarding the Lao nationals involved.
