ROI ET — 18 August 2026, Two Lao nationals were killed and 12 others injured after a passenger van veered off the road, overturned and burst into flames in Roi Et province early Tuesday morning. A survivor said the driver had been speeding and appeared to be falling asleep at the wheel.
The accident occurred at around 05:20 on the four-lane Kalasin-Mukdahan Road near Ban Khok Lam in Nong Yai subdistrict, Phon Thong district, Roi Et, close to the border with Kuchinarai district in Kalasin province.
Police and emergency responders were alerted through the 191 emergency centre and rushed to the scene, where the van was engulfed in flames. Firefighters, rescue teams and medical personnel were dispatched to control the blaze and assist the passengers.
Initial information showed that the Bangkok-registered passenger van was carrying 14 people, including the driver, all travelling Lao nationals. They had left Bangkok at around 21:00 on 17 August, heading to Mukdahan to renew their permits before returning to Laos.
The van reportedly lost control and ran off the road in the early morning before overturning and catching fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed.
Two people died and 12 were injured. The victims were taken to several hospitals, with five transported to Kuchinarai Crown Prince Hospital, six by Buakhao rescue workers and one by Sam Kha rescue workers. Authorities had not yet identified the gender of the two deceased passengers.
A wounded Lao passenger told reporters that the group was travelling to Mukdahan to renew their permits and return home.
During the journey, two young male and female passengers sitting nearby asked the survivor to warn the driver because they felt the van was travelling too fast, at around 140 kph.
The survivor said he told the driver to slow down. The driver initially reduced his speed but later began driving fast again.
He also noticed the driver appeared extremely tired, repeatedly nodding off while driving. The survivor said the driver was holding the steering wheel with only one hand, while the other hand was not on the wheel.
Although the van had stopped briefly to rest earlier, the driver did not appear to have had enough sleep, he said.
The survivor was about to warn the driver about the speed again when the van suddenly veered off the road.
Police from Phon Thong Police Station are conducting a detailed inspection of the scene to determine the exact cause of the crash. Authorities are also working to verify the identities and details of the injured and deceased.