22 killed in Thai bus crash

At least 22 people have been killed and 27 others injured when a bus packed with university students and teachers crashed in eastern Thailand.

Police Maj Suchart Yaemsak says the bus was travelling down a steep road with numerous curves when the vehicle slammed into a hillside in Prachinburi province.

The accident occurred before dawn today.

He says the initial investigation shows that the bus might have had a break failure and could not stop on the steep road and the death toll is expected to increase since a number of the injuries were severe.

The passengers were students and teachers travelling from the north-eastern province of Khon Kaen to Chantanaburi province. Most of the dead were aged between 20 and 28.