Passenger Van Crashes, Burns; Two Laotian Nationals Dead

A passenger van with Bangkok licence plates carrying 14 Laotian nationals, including the driver, overturned and burst into flames on the Kalasin-Mukdahan highway near Ban Khok Lam village in Khon Kaen province at approximately 5:20 a.m. on August 18, 2025. The van had departed Bangkok the previous evening, headed for Mukdahan province for passenger visa renewal and return home. Emergency responders from three rescue units rushed to the scene, evacuating twelve injured passengers to nearby hospitals including Supphadej Prakayuprach Hospital in Kuchinrai, while two passengers died in the blaze.

Survivors recounted that two young passengers seated near the front had warned the driver about excessive speed—approximately 140 km/h—but after briefly slowing, he resumed the same dangerous pace. A passenger who was injured described observing the driver exhibiting clear signs of drowsiness and abnormal behaviour, including nodding off at the wheel and steering with only one hand. Although the van had stopped for rest earlier in the journey, the driver did not take sufficient sleep before the crash occurred.

The passenger stated he was preparing to warn the driver again about speed when the vehicle suddenly veered off the road and overturned. Authorities from Pong Thong Police Station are conducting a detailed investigation into the exact cause of the accident. The names and identities of the deceased and injured remain under verification.