22 students hurt when van overturns in Korat

Driver says he lost control on a curve in Non Thai district

A police officer inspects an overturned school van in Non Thai district of Nakhon Ratchasima as rescue workers prepare to take injured students to a nearby hospital on Thursday morning. (Photo: Hook31 rescue team Facebook page)
A police officer inspects an overturned school van in Non Thai district of Nakhon Ratchasima as rescue workers prepare to take injured students to a nearby hospital on Thursday morning. (Photo: Hook31 rescue team Facebook page)

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Twenty-two students were injured when a school van overturned at a curve on a road in Non Thai district on Thursday morning.

Police and rescue workers rushed to Ban Orphalai Road in tambon Kampang after being alerted around 7.30am. They found a school van belonging to the privately run Saimit Non Thai School 6 overturned along the side of the road.

Many students, mostly from kindergarten and primary grades, were crying with panic. An accompanying teacher and the van driver were helping them from the vehicle.

Twenty-two students were slightly hurt. Rescue workers and medics gave them first aid before taking the injured children to Non Thai Hospital for thorough check-ups. Parents rushed to the scene after being alerted.

Driver Charnnarong Rassamee, 24, told police that he had picked up the 22 students from many locations in tambon Kampang to tale them to the school. He said he lost control of the vehicle at a curve, causing the van to overturn.

Local media reports said the driver was trying to pick up a cup of water from the console behind his seat, but the cup slipped out of his hand and this caused him to lose control of the van, which veered off the road and overturned.

Police were questioning witnesses to find out the exact cause of the incident.