Thailand: 20 Myanmar migrants killed in bus fire

At least 20 Myanmar migrant workers were killed in a bus fire on early March 30 in Thailand, said local authorities (Photo: The Nation/Asia News Network)

Hanoi (VNA) – At least 20 Myanmar migrant workers were killed in a bus fire on early March 30 in Thailand, said local authorities.

The accident broke out at 1:25 am (local time) in the northwest province of Tak, which borders Myanmar.

According to Thailand’s relevant agencies, the bus was among four busses carrying migrants from a Thai border town to Bangkok.

It was unclear how the blaze started on the bus. Footage from the scene showed that many passengers were trapped inside the destroyed vehicle.

A rescue worker in Tak province said there were about 47 passengers on the bus, while a representative of the province’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation affirmed that the death toll was 20, with three people injured.

The country has a poor road safety record on crashes, which claims about 24,000 lives each year, reported the World Health Organisation.

Last week, a bus crashed into a tree in the country’s northeast, killing 18. The driver later confessed to being on drugs at the time of the crash. – VNA