Police said the accident happened at 10.30pm opposite Soi Na Klua 18 in Moo 5 village in Tambon Na Klua of Chon Buri province’s Bang Lamung district.

Rescuers of the Sawang Boribun Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation and local residents rushed to rescue the tourists from the bus. Most suffered minor injuries and several fainted.

The bus driver, Thaweechokchai Plaengthaisong, 49, said he was driving the tourists to a traditional Thai massage parlour but the soi was a downhill road. He tried to slow down the bus but its brake malfunctioned.

The driver said he tried to shift to a lower gear but the gear did not work either so he tried to control the bus with the steering but it rode past the road end into the beach and eventually stopped in the shallow sea.