At least seventeen passengers were killed on Sunday when a bus in Thailand collided with a train. Dozens more were injured. Local authorities expect the number of fatalities and injuries to rise even further.
The bus travelers were on their way to a temple in Chachoengsao province – two hours from the capital Bangkok – for a ceremony to mark the end of Buddhist Lent. The accident took place around 08:00 (local time). According to a district police chief, 17 deaths have been reported to date.
Provincial Governor Maitree Tritilanond told reporters that about 29 people have been injured so far. The number of fatalities and injuries is expected to increase.
Fatal accidents are common in Thailand, which regularly tops the list of countries with the world’s deadliest roads, with speeding, drunk driving, and weak law enforcement all playing a role. According to a 2018 report by the World Health Organization WHO, Thailand has the second highest death rate in traffic in the world.
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