SRI RACHA, THAILAND – More than 40 people were injured when a factory shuttlebus crashed into a roadside ditch after a chain collision on Highway 331 near Sri Racha.
Initial rear-end collision triggers traffic jam
The incident occurred on 15 January 2026 at around 8:45 a.m. on the Laem Chabang-bound lanes of Highway 331, just before the Pinthong Industrial Estate 3 in Nong Kham subdistrict, Chonburi province. It began with a rear-end collision in which a pickup truck hit an employee taxi van and blocked part of the roadway. Rescue workers from the Pure Yeang Thai Sri Racha Rescue Unit secured the scene and directed traffic, and no serious injuries were initially reported.
Shuttlebus carrying Myanmar workers leaves the road
A few minutes later, a large factory shuttlebus with about 40 workers on board, most of them migrant workers from Myanmar, approached the growing tailback. The driver, Thiwat Sothan (31), later described to the media how he was driving uphill when he suddenly saw the stationary traffic in front of him. According to his account, the braking system did not respond as expected.
“I was coming up the incline, saw the traffic jam and tried to brake, but the brakes did not respond,”
said Sothan, bus driver.
In that moment, he decided to steer the bus off the road to the right. The vehicle shot off the carriageway and plunged about two metres into a side drainage ditch, coming to rest partly on its side. Inside the bus, the impact caused violent movements, and numerous passengers were thrown through the interior.
Driver says maneuver aimed to avoid larger pile-up
Sothan justified his decision by saying he wanted to prevent a major multi-vehicle crash with the stationary traffic ahead.
“If I had not done that, the bus would have crashed into many stationary vehicles, which would have caused far more injuries and damage,”
said Sothan, bus driver.
Dozens injured, two passengers trapped in wreck
Emergency responders and doctors from the “Lanthom” Advanced Life Support Unit and staff from Somdet Phra Borom Ratchathewi Na Si Racha Hospital arrived shortly after the crash. According to varying initial figures, around 40 to 42 occupants were injured and transported to nearby hospitals. Medical teams reported head lacerations, abrasions, neck pain, suspected bone fractures and minor injuries such as split lips, and no fatalities were recorded.
Two passengers were trapped in the bus after it fell into the ditch and had to be freed from the deformed vehicle using hydraulic rescue tools (Jaws of Life). The extrication took more than an hour, and both individuals sustained cuts, bruises, severe pain and possible bone injuries before being taken to hospital.
Police investigation and safety warnings
Most of the injured work in the nearby Sahapattan Industrial Estate and come from Myanmar, one of the main countries of origin for migrant labour in the industrial zones along Thailand’s eastern seaboard. Officers from the Nong Kham police station launched an investigation at the scene, examining both the initial collision between the pickup and the van and the reported brake failure and evasive manoeuvre by the bus driver. The aim was to determine the causes of the accident, clarify any potential responsibility and decide further steps under applicable legal provisions.
Authorities used the incident to reiterate the importance of regular vehicle inspections and heightened caution in traffic jams on high-speed roads. They highlighted the dangers of sudden brake failure, the increased risk on inclines and in unclear congestion situations, and the particular need for protection in commuter buses carrying large numbers of passengers.