Lankan tourists injured as tour bus plunges into ditch in Thailand

Twenty-two people, mainly Sri Lankan tourists, were hurt when their tour bus overturned in a ditch in Ratchaburi’s Photharam district in Thailand this afternoon, the Bangkok Post reported. The coach was returning from the Damnoen Saduak floating market when the driver lost control while overtaking another vehicle, careening into the gulch along Phetkasem Road in tambon Nong Pho, said Pol Lt Pradit Khongprem, a duty officer at Photharam police station, who was alerted around 2pm on Thursday. Police and rescue workers found many tourists trapped in the overturned coach but all were rescued. The injured passengers, mostly Sri Lanka tourists, and Thai driver were hurt and rushed to Photharam Hospital, said police. They were among 34 people on board. Vorachot Kraisri, the driver of another tour bus, told police there were four coaches taking over 100 Sri Lankan to the floating market in Damnoen Saduak district. The buses were heading to Nakhon Pathom when one of them, driven by Boonma Nachaikham, crashed. Mr Boonma, 38, tried to overtake a 10-wheeled truck and veered off the road, said Vorachot, whose bus was following the ill-fated vehicle, stopped to assist victims and alert police. Investigators planned to Mr Boonma. Ratchaburi governor Surapol Sawaengsak rushed to the scene and ordered officials to take good care of the injured tourists. He arranged vans to take the unhurt tourists to their destination.