Four Korean Tourists, Lao Driver Die In Road Crash
Source: Vientiane Times
Four Korean tourists and a Lao driver were killed after a bus and a minivan were involved in a fatal collision in Thongmeuad village, Kasy district, Vientiane province on Sunday while another 24 people sustained injures.
Head of the Traffic Police Office of Vientiane province, Lieutenant Colonel Chanthanome Sithammavanh, told Vientiane Times on Monday the accident happened at about 11am on Sunday.
He said a tour bus owned by the Viengchampa Company from Vientiane was involved in the deadly collision with a minivan heading towards Luang Prabang.
The bus was being driven by Mr Khemphone, 40, from Dongnathong village in Sikhottabong district, Vientiane when it was involved in a high speed collision with a minivan being driven by Mr Chanphouthone, 36, of Sangkhalok village, Luang Prabang district, Luang Prabang province.
The four Korean tourists and the van driver all died at the scene.
The driver of the bus with 19 Italian passengers and one Lao guide onboard was travelling from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.
The driver of the van with six Korean tourists and one Lao guide onboard was travelling from Kasy district to Luang Prabang province when the collision occurred.
Another two Korean passengers and the guide suffered critical injuries, while the driver of the bus was also critically injured and his 20 passengers sustained varying injuries. Police said they think the bus was probably travelling at high speed down a steep decline when it lost control and collided with the minivan on a winding road.
According to a report from the Traffic Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security, from February 8-14 there were over 100 road accidents around Laos.
Over 200 vehicles were damaged, over 200 people were injured and there were 20 fatalities.
The fatalities included five in Vientiane, while Bokeo and Vientiane provinces recorded three fatalities each and Champassak and Xayaboury provinces recorded two fatalities each. Phongsaly, Luang Prabang, Xieng Khuang, Khammuan and Savannakhet provinces each recorded one fatality over the same period.