25 injured as bus flips over in Phichit - driver admits drinking

Twenty-five passengers were injured when a Bangkok-bound first-class tour bus overturned on a major highway in Phichit’s Wachirabarami district late last night, after the driver allegedly dozed off behind the wheel following alcohol consumption.

The accident occurred on Highway 117 in Nong Lum sub-district. The air-conditioned bus, operating on the Sukhothai-Bangkok route, veered off the road and into the median ditch.

Emergency responders rushed 25 passengers suffering from minor to moderate injuries to Wachirabarami and Sam Ngam hospitals.

At press time, three passengers remained in hospital at Wachirabarami Hospital, while the rest have been discharged. A replacement bus was arranged to transport the remaining stranded passengers to their destination in Bangkok.

Pol. Lt. Phattharaphon Thapwat, an interrogator at the Wachirabarami police station, stated that 52-year-old bus driver was taken into custody for a sobriety test following the crash.

The test revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 44mg/dL.

According to police, the driver confessed to consuming a small amount of alcohol prior to the trip.

He admitted that he became increasingly drowsy as he drove through Phichit and momentarily blacked out. By the time he snapped awake, he had already lost control of the vehicle, causing it to plunge into the ditch and tip over.