At least 13 Malaysian tourists killed in Thailand bus accident

At least 13 Malaysian tourists were killed and eight others injured today when their chartered bus crashed in Thailand's famous tourist place Chiang Mai city.

The incident took place in the morning in Chiang Mai- Chiang Rai Road in Tambon Pamieng of Doi Saked district, about 700 kilometres north of Bangkok. The tourist bus, carrying 21 Malaysian tourists, rammed into another vehicle before hitting a power pole and falling in a roadside, The Nation reported.

The collision happened after the bus hit a vehicle and the driver tried to speed up in a bid to flee. The bus then lost control and hit into another car. The bus driver and his helper are among the injured persons, police said.

Thailand has the world's second most dangerous roads with 36.2 fatalities per 100,000 people, according to a study on global road safety by the World Health Organisation. Chiang Mai, a famous tourist spot, is the most culturally significant city in Northern Thailand. It is situated amongst the highest mountains in the country.