Prachin Buri, Thailand – A devastating bus accident on a treacherous downhill stretch of Highway No. 304 in Na Di district has left 18 people dead and 32 injured, casting a shadow of sorrow over the quiet region. The crash, which occurred at 4 a.m. on February 25, 2025, has been attributed to brake failure, with the driver now facing charges of reckless driving as authorities launch a probing investigation into the preventable tragedy.

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Prachin Buri police chief, Pol Maj Gen Kiartisak Srathong-oy, confirmed the grim toll late Tuesday morning, revealing that the death count climbed to 18 after an initial 17 perished at the scene and a 18th victim succumbed to injuries at Kabin Buri Hospital. The ill-fated bus, carrying 49 passengers—including the driver and an assistant—overturned on a steep descent from Pu Thone Shrine Mountain in Tambon Bu Phram, a notorious stretch known for its perilous incline and history of accidents.

Of the survivors, 23 were rushed to Na Di Hospital, while eight others received treatment at Kabin Buri Hospital, their conditions ranging from critical to stable. Kiartisak highlighted the road’s reputation as a danger zone, noting that authorities had established a mandatory rest area at the mountain’s summit to allow buses to cool their braking systems. Drivers are required to stop and register in a logbook as a precautionary measure, a protocol designed to prevent the very malfunction that appears to have doomed this journey.

Investigations revealed a critical oversight: the driver had stopped for a rest in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Thong Chai district but failed to halt at the designated rest area on Khao Thone Mountain. This lapse, police allege, led to the brake failure that sent the bus careening out of control, flipping onto its side and scattering debris across the highway. The driver, whose identity remains undisclosed pending further inquiry, has been charged with reckless driving causing death and injury and is under medical evaluation at the hospital.

Eighteen people were killed and 32 others injured when a bus taking people on a community study tour overturned on a downhill road in Nadi district of Prachin Buri early on Wednesday.

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The trip, organized by Tambon Porn Charoen Municipality mayor Phairat Wutthisarn, was intended to transport 129 villagers from Bueng Kan province to Rayong to study waste disposal methods. The group departed at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, traveling in three buses. Phairat, who rode in the first bus, described the third vehicle—carrying 49 passengers—as the one that met with disaster. Shaken by the incident, he immediately canceled the trip, ordering the two remaining buses to return the villagers to Bueng Kan. “I am deeply affected,” Phairat admitted in a trembling voice, vowing to refrain from organizing future excursions and pledging full support to the victims and their families.

The accident has reignited concerns about the safety of Highway No. 304, a route notorious for its steep gradients and frequent mishaps. Local residents and social media users on X have voiced frustration, with some questioning whether the mandatory rest area measures are adequately enforced or if the road itself requires urgent upgrades. Posts trending under #PrachinBuriCrash highlight eyewitness accounts of the mangled bus and call for stricter oversight of commercial transport operators.

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As authorities sift through the wreckage and interview survivors, questions linger: Was this a case of human error, systemic neglect, or a darker conspiracy lurking beneath the surface? The investigation continues, with officials promising a thorough examination of the driver’s actions and the bus’s maintenance history. For now, the steep slopes of Khao Thone Mountain stand as a silent witness to a tragedy that has left a community in mourning and a valley on edge.

-Thailand News (TN)