Driver in Thailand road accident might have fallen asleep, police say

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Police in Thailand said on Monday that in a traffic accident on Saturday, the driver might have fallen asleep while driving when a van hit a Bangkok highway barrier and caught flames, killing 11 people onboard.

The accident happened in the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province, also known as Korat, when the van was on its way to the capital Bangkok from northeastern Amnat Charoen province.

Out of 12 passengers, only one of them survived, and the deceased include two children.

“The police believe that the van crash in Korat, which killed 11 people, might have happened when the driver slept behind the wheel as there was no trace of using the brake,” the Thai News Agency said on Twitter.

After hitting the barrier, the van plunged into a ditch, caught flames, and exploded, on the Bangkok-bound Mittraphap Highway in the western Si Khiu district of Nakhon Ratchasima.

The lone survivor, a 20-year-old man, said he kicked the window and “crawled out of the van safely before the van exploded.”

Police said they are investigating the cause of the incident, and that the victims will be given compensation.

Si Khiu Police officer Pol Col Yongyot Ponladej said: “The bodies, burnt beyond recognition in the accident, were sent for identification."

“It is expected that the process will take three to four days before the bodies will be returned to their families for religious ceremonies,” he added.