At least 32 people were killed and five severely injured when a bus plunged down a deep ravine in Phetachbun district in the country’s northeast early this morning.

The bus from Khon Kaen was heading to Chiang Rai province and crashed into the guard rail of a bridge which has the tallest supporting pillars, and fell down, police said.

They said the bus was carrying 40 people. About 27 bodies were found in the bus and many more outside. Five people, who were severely injured, were rushed to two hospitals and one of them died in a hospital.

The ravine is about 50 metres deep and the rescue workers are still combing the site. The accident occurred as millions of Thai motorists are expected to travel during the New Year holidays.

Early in October, at least 20 people were killed when a tour bus carrying elderly Buddhist devotees plunged into a ravine in northeast Thailand.

A recent report by the World Health Organisation said the country saw some 38.1 road deaths per 100,000 of population, compared to an average of 18.5 in Southeast Asia as a whole.

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