Sri Racha, Chonburi – January 15th, 2026 – A multi-vehicle chain-reaction accident on Highway 331 (Laem Chabang-bound direction) in front of Pinthong Industrial Estate 3 in the Nong Kham Subdistrict, resulted in dozens of injuries this morning when a passenger shuttle bus carrying factory workers swerved off the road to avoid a traffic jam caused by an earlier collision.
The accident began around 8:45 a.m. when a pickup truck rear-ended a van used for employee transportation, causing a traffic blockage on the roadway. Rescue teams from the Pure Yeang Thai Sri Racha Rescue Unit arrived to assist and manage traffic at the scene, where no serious injuries were initially reported from the first crash.
Moments later, a large shuttle bus carrying approximately 40 employees (mostly Myanmar migrant workers) approached the congested area. The driver, Mr. Thiwat Sothan, 31, stated that he ascended a slope and suddenly encountered the standstill traffic ahead. Despite attempting to brake, the brakes failed to respond effectively, forcing him to make a split-second decision to swerve the bus to the side of the road.
The bus veered off the highway and plunged approximately 2 meters into a roadside drainage ditch, where it came to rest partially on its side. The impact caused chaos inside the vehicle, with many passengers thrown around the cabin.
Rescue personnel, along with emergency medical teams from the “Lanthom” advanced life support unit and staff from the Somdet Phra Borom Ratchathewi Na Si Racha Hospital, rushed to the scene. More than 30 injured passengers were reported, suffering from injuries including head lacerations, abrasions across the body, neck strains, suspected bone fractures, and minor lip cuts.
Two passengers remained trapped inside the overturned bus, requiring the use of hydraulic cutting and spreading tools, also known as the Jaws of Life. After more than one hour of intensive rescue efforts, both trapped individuals were safely extricated. They were found to have sustained lacerations, abrasions, body pain, and possible bone injuries, and were immediately transported to hospital for treatment.
Mr. Thiwat Sothan, the bus driver, explained to The Pattaya News team:
“I was driving the shuttle to deliver workers to the Sahapattan industrial estate. There was already a collision ahead causing heavy traffic. As I came up the incline, I saw the jam and tried to brake, but the brakes wouldn’t respond. I decided to steer the bus off the road into the drainage ditch. If I hadn’t done that, the bus would have crashed into many stationary vehicles ahead, which could have caused far more injuries and damage.”
All injured passengers, totaling around 40–42 people according to various reports, were transported to nearby hospitals for urgent treatment. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported. The majority of the injured are migrant workers from Myanmar employed in the industrial estate.
Police from Nong Kham Police Station are investigating the incident, including the initial pickup-van collision and the bus driver’s actions, to determine responsibility and proceed according to legal procedures.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
