Tour Bus from Bangkok to Koh Samui Crashes in Chumphon, Nine Injured
A tour bus en route from Bangkok to Koh Samui veered off a highway in Chumphon Province in the early hours of June 23, injuring nine passengers. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which remains unclear.
The accident occurred at approximately 2:50 a.m. on the southbound side of Asia Road 41 in Khon Subdistrict, Sawi District, according to Police Lieutenant Kriangchai Chumkaew of the Sawi Police Station. Emergency responders from Sawi Hospital and the Chumphon Rescue Foundation were dispatched to the scene.
The bus, a gray and blue BENZ vehicle bearing the registration number 12-xxxx Bangkok, had 32 occupants on board, including 29 passengers, two drivers, and one bus attendant. It was found overturned in a roadside ditch with significant damage. Rescue personnel transported the nine injured individuals—seven with minor injuries and two in serious condition—to Sawi Hospital. The remaining 20 passengers continued their journey by alternative transport the same night.
A white Ford pickup truck, also damaged, was discovered parked nearby. It had two occupants, a 28-year-old male driver and a 25-year-old female passenger, both of whom were unharmed. Authorities are examining whether the vehicle was involved in the crash.
Police have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances leading up to the incident. Both drivers of the bus and the pickup truck are being questioned, and forensic officers are expected to inspect the vehicles for possible evidence of collision.
The tour bus was operated by a team including a 53-year-old driver from Suphan Buri, a second driver aged 60 from Pathum Thani, and a 34-year-old female bus attendant from Trang. Further updates will follow as the investigation progresses.
