Of these accidents, six were school buses on field trips, according to the Public Health Ministry.

The most cited causes of such accidents were speeding, driver exhaustion caused by long hours at the wheel which made them doze off, drivers’ unfamiliarity with the route, as well as the vehicle’s poor condition, ministry spokesman Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said yesterday.

The Surveillance and Rapid Response Team probe found that deaths and injuries in such accidents were also caused by the passengers’ failure to wear seatbelts.

This year, from January 1 to March 9, there were four bus accidents resulting in 174 people being injured and eight deaths, he added.

The ministry suggested guidelines for safe travel: the driver must study the route to avoid or be cautious of risky areas; proper vehicle check-ups and maintenance; ensure sufficient rest for the driver prior to travel, plus a requirement to change the driver after every 400 kilometres or four hours of driving; keep speed at less than 80km/hour; avoid unnecessary travel at night; and ensure that passengers keep seatbelts fastened during the journey.

Another report by the Road Accident Victims Protection Co Ltd reported 152,438 injuries and 2,315 deaths in Thailand’s road accidents from January 1 to March 13.