Ayutthaya: The driver of a passenger van that crashed into a truck and killed four Japanese tourists and their Thai tour guide early this week in Ayutthaya has admitted he dozed off at the wheel, police said.
Pol Col Sa-nga Thirasaranyanont, deputy chief of the provincial police, said 52-year-old Charan Aksonsri, who was critically injured in the crash, told police during questioning he fell asleep behind the wheel.
The crash took place late on Wednesday afternoon on Highway 347 in Bang Pa-in district and all five van passengers were killed at the scene after flames engulfed their vehicle.
According to Pol Col Sa-nga, the driver had four hours of sleep before he picked up the tourists and the guide at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 5am for a day-long tour of this historical former capital.
The driver dozed off and the van smashed into a 10-wheel truck that was slowing down to make a left turn. The van's front was heavily damaged and the vehicle became partially engulfed in flames.
Pol Col Sa-nga said the driver's admission was in line with the GPS data of the Land Transport Department, which found the van had accelerated to 93km/hr and the crash took place five minutes after this.
As such, it had exceeded the vehicle's 80kph speed limit, police said.
The Japanese tourists were identified as Yoshio Komeima, 68, and his wife Kumiko Komeima, 59; Katsuhiko Narimoto, 65, and his daughter Haruka Narimoto, 30; and their Thai tour guide Piyatip Krueangtai, 35.
Yoshio and Katsuhiko were doctors in Japan.
The bodies of the tourists were released yesterday from Thammasat Hospital's forensic institute in Pathum Thani pending repatriation to Japan. The arrangements were assisted by officials from the Japanese embassy.
Piyathip's body was collected and transported for funeral services in Nakhon Phanom.
Kamol Buranapong, deputy chief of the Land Transport Department, said the van was legally registered with authorities. It met the department's requirements for a passenger van, he said.
Mr Kamol said a thorough examination of the crash scene showed no tyre marks on the road that would have indicated braking and the GPS data suggested two possibilities: Either the driver was reckless or he fell asleep at the wheel.
He said the police would soon determine the cause of the accident.
Even though the investigation is ongoing, the department has revoked the registration of the van involved in the tragedy and ordered the operator to bring the entire fleet of 84 vans in for a thorough examination, Mr Kamol said.
The company's drivers are also required to undergo a safe-driver training course provided by the department while Mr Charan had his driving licence revoked immediately.
Sanit Promwong, the department's chief, said authorities were gathering information to roll out measures to help prevent road accidents.
He said the passenger van operator would face legal action if held responsible for the crash.
The operator's lawyer said his client apologised for the accident and was prepared to pay any compensation demanded by the court.
.png?w=600)
