Prachinburi: Eighteen people were killed and 32 others injured in a bus accident in Prachinburi province, east of the Thai capital Bangkok. The Thai police said in a statement Wednesday that a double-decker bus veered off the road while descending a slope, resulting in the tragic incident.

According to Qatar News Agency, the accident highlights the ongoing issue of road safety in Thailand. The country is known to have one of the highest rates of road accidents globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that about 20,000 people are killed in road accidents in Thailand each year.

The authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene to assist the injured and transport them to nearby hospitals. The government has urged transportation companies to ensure the safety of their vehicles and passengers to prevent such incidents in the future.