Three British Teens Among 11 Hurt as Tree Falls on Thai Bus

[webfact]

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

In a shocking incident in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, a tree felled by an illegal logger crashed onto a passing bus, injuring eleven people, including three British teens. The dramatic accident occurred as the tourists were en route to the popular Erawan Waterfall.

 

British nationals Biba Rose Waddell, 19, from London, Sophia Rose Alice Ridehalgh, 19, from Welwyn Garden City, and Sasha Chloe Hayes, 18, from Oxford, were among the passengers aboard the ill-fated bus when the tree trunk slammed onto its roof. The bus driver narrowly avoided a catastrophic plunge down a hillside, bringing the vehicle to a halt mere feet from the edge.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

Police officers from Lat Ya Police Station rushed to the scene on Highway No. 3199 following the incident, which was reported around 10 am. They discovered that a large wormwood tree had crashed onto the bus, shattering the windshield and causing panic among the 36 passengers inside, most of whom were foreign tourists, reported LIam Buckler for MIrror.

 

 

Lieutenant Colonel Maneephat Pengklet noted that a total of eleven individuals sustained injuries from shattered glass and falling branches. All injured parties, including the British teens, were immediately transported to Synphaet Hospital for treatment. Most suffered minor injuries, but one Canadian tourist, Jaime Michelle Mitchell, 45, was taken to the Intensive Care Unit with more serious injuries and fitted with a neck brace.

 

In a supportive gesture, Thawatchai Wiriyajit from the local land transport office stated that authorities would cover the medical expenses incurred by the patients.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

Early investigations suggest that the tree may have been deliberately cut down by an illegal logger, as evidenced by nearby sawdust and cut marks on the tree. Paitoon Inthabut, Chief of Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary, confirmed that rangers had been dispatched to apprehend the suspect, who is believed to reside in the vicinity.

Subsequently, police arrested a 39-year-old man named Wasin, after discovering tree cutting tools in his white Isuzu pickup truck, along with documentation indicating he was involved in selling timber.

 

Athisak Intra, the Governor of Kanchanaburi Province, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident to address this unlawful act and implement safety measures to prevent future occurrences.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

The total cost of potential damages and healthcare in this incident isn't entirely defined, but the gravity of public safety and legal accountability have certainly been accentuated. This unfortunate event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by illegal logging, underscoring the urgent need for stricter regulations and enforcement in the region, reported Mirror.

 

-- 2025-01-04

 

 

 

[JoePai]

the tree trunk slammed onto its roof  - Does not look like that from the video ?

 

tree had crashed onto the bus  ??

 

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

But  but but..........arent they all covered by that new fandangled top o the line insurance  we were all promised on entry........... WHAT? It didnt  happen?

[Rampant Rabbit]

nah Ive changed my mind, due to the fact some local round here keeps sending the tree  brigade to check our  land that we havent cut any trees  down 3  times they will be unable to catch the real tree  rustlers..............hilarious

You falang  u cut tree  illegal..............oh leally and it needs  10 people to check us  right + they had to drive for more than an hour to get here......again... ha haaaaaaaa in the words of the Nelson in  the  Simpsons

[Rampant Rabbit]

This wouldnt happen to quality tourists, thats where they went wrong

[Will B Good]

Stood in the front garden yesterday and was nearly decapitated (hyperbole) by a line which was cut by workers on the PEA pole.

 

They must have known what would happen due to the tension the cable was under.

 

I gave them an anglo-saxon mouthful and the looked they gave me was.......stop whinging, it didn't even hit you.

 

Thais just don't give a flying         about safety.

[Woke to Sounds of Horking]

What ARE the chances?

 

Illegal lumberjack cutting down a wormwood tree (to make absinthe?)

 

Those blonde British hotties should definitely play the lottery this week.

[bkk6060]

Kids just trying to enjoy a holiday what a bummer.

[Will B Good]

4 minutes ago, Woke to Sounds of Horking said:

What ARE the chances?

 

Illegal lumberjack cutting down a wormwood tree (to make absinthe?)

 

Those blonde British hotties should definitely play the lottery this week.

 

 

Or the first aid who elbowed his way through the crowd to assist......ignoring much more severely wounded kids lying on the ground...555

[wensiensheng]

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

the tree trunk slammed onto its roof  - Does not look like that from the video ?

 

tree had crashed onto the bus  ??

 

 

Let’s just say that it was close enough to cause damage to the bus and the people inside.

 

Is that ok for you?

[wensiensheng]

It’s all very well having Embassy warnings to say be careful on Thai roads, but what can you do when you are sitting in a bus and a tree crashes onto it, ok ok, near it?

 

Answer: go somewhere else on holiday.

[JoePai]

24 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Let’s just say that it was close enough to cause damage to the bus and the people inside.

 

Is that ok for you?

Yes - but that was not what the article said if you read it

[JoePai]

23 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

It’s all very well having Embassy warnings to say be careful on Thai roads, but what can you do when you are sitting in a bus and a tree crashes onto it, ok ok, near it?

 

Answer: go somewhere else on holiday.

Get out of bed the wrong side today ?

[Frankie baby]

What was this guy (come lumber-jack) thinking. He obviously must have known the tree would fall over the road. 

 

Hope he gets done good & proper and not a trip to the monastery for his handy work.

[Elkski]

Absinth?  Really.   How much are some of these protected trees worth.   I think it's a game of claiming it was old  exempt furniture  for most of these people around there. 

[wensiensheng]

23 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Yes - but that was not what the article said if you read it

I did read it. Having also viewed the video, I decided not to be pedantic about the words used in the article.

[wensiensheng]

23 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Get out of bed the wrong side today ?

I’m having a very good day actually. Just not sure what point you are trying to make in your original post, or the one I am answering now.

[BerndD]

Nothing is impossible in Thailand..

[cardinalblue]

1 hour ago, Frankie baby said:

What was this guy (come lumber-jack) thinking. He obviously must have known the tree would fall over the road. 

 

Hope he gets done good & proper and not a trip to the monastery for his handy work.

He probably had no idea or even think it might fall over the road...And that is the scary part.....can't cure stupidity 

[Dont confuse me]

"In a supportive gesture, Thawatchai Wiriyajit from the local land transport office stated that authorities would cover the medical expenses incurred by the patients"

 

Hopefully this actually happens. 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Frankie baby said:

What was this guy (come lumber-jack) thinking. He obviously must have known the tree would fall over the road. 

 

Hope he gets done good & proper and not a trip to the monastery for his handy work.

 

He [the feckless lumber-jack] is likely poor, has no real money for fines... no one was killed. Authorities will feel sorry for him which is why they already knew who he was but ignored his illegal behavior... 

 

He'll be fined a nominal amount...  he'll be cutting trees again before the week is out.

 

 

[sambum]

In a shocking incident in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, a tree felled by an illegal logger crashed onto a passing bus, injuring eleven people, including three British teens. The dramatic accident occurred as the tourists were en route to the popular Erawan Waterfall.

Police officers from Lat Ya Police Station rushed to the scene on Highway No. 3199 following the incident, which was reported around 10 am. They discovered that a large wormwood tree had crashed onto the bus, shattering the windshield and causing panic among the 36 passengers inside, most of whom were foreign tourists, reported LIam Buckler for MIrror.

 

So it would appear that most of the 36 passengers were foreign tourists, but only 3 could be identified by nationality - BRITS!!!

Why are "3 British teenagers" particularly relevant to the article?

 

[roo860]

4 minutes ago, sambum said:

In a shocking incident in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, a tree felled by an illegal logger crashed onto a passing bus, injuring eleven people, including three British teens. The dramatic accident occurred as the tourists were en route to the popular Erawan Waterfall.

Police officers from Lat Ya Police Station rushed to the scene on Highway No. 3199 following the incident, which was reported around 10 am. They discovered that a large wormwood tree had crashed onto the bus, shattering the windshield and causing panic among the 36 passengers inside, most of whom were foreign tourists, reported LIam Buckler for MIrror.

 

So it would appear that most of the 36 passengers were foreign tourists, but only 3 could be identified by nationality - BRITS!!! 

 

Yep, stuff the others, they don't matter 😁

[KannikaP]

8 hours ago, JoePai said:

the tree trunk slammed onto its roof  - Does not look like that from the video ?

 

tree had crashed onto the bus  ??

 

 

The tree fell IN FRONT of the bus as I see on the video. OK, it crashed into the fallen trunk.

[KannikaP]

4 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

nah Ive changed my mind, due to the fact some local round here keeps sending the tree  brigade to check our  land that we havent cut any trees  down 3  times they will be unable to catch the real tree  rustlers..............hilarious

You falang  u cut tree  illegal..............oh leally and it needs  10 people to check us  right + they had to drive for more than an hour to get here......again... ha haaaaaaaa in the words of the Nelson in  the  Simpsons

What is this photo all about. Six or seven cops standing around, no bus, no tree, and a torn up roadway?

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What is this photo all about. Six or seven cops standing around, no bus, no tree, and a torn up roadway?

 

I think it was to highlight the 'face' and hypocritical sanctimony on display when officials want to ensure that the laws are being followed perfectly and RR has not chopped any tree's down on his property, also that it took so many officials in a 'raid like situation' to establish this...

... meanwhile local rogues, hard up on cash are felling tree's illegally and the local authorities very likely know exactly who is doing this.

 

 

 

[geisha]

5 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

But  but but..........arent they all covered by that new fandangled top o the line insurance  we were all promised on entry........... WHAT? It didnt  happen?

The insurance you are talking about was for foreign “ workers” ! Not tourists. 

[kwaussie]

Its one holiday those girls will never forget for all the wrong reasons.

[Homburg]

2 hours ago, sambum said:

In a shocking incident in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, a tree felled by an illegal logger crashed onto a passing bus, injuring eleven people, including three British teens. The dramatic accident occurred as the tourists were en route to the popular Erawan Waterfall.

Police officers from Lat Ya Police Station rushed to the scene on Highway No. 3199 following the incident, which was reported around 10 am. They discovered that a large wormwood tree had crashed onto the bus, shattering the windshield and causing panic among the 36 passengers inside, most of whom were foreign tourists, reported LIam Buckler for MIrror.

 

So it would appear that most of the 36 passengers were foreign tourists, but only 3 could be identified by nationality - BRITS!!!

Why are "3 British teenagers" particularly relevant to the article?

 

Could the "relevance" be that the writer wanted to improve visibility of the article by publishing photographs of teenagers?  Surely not, as that would be a crude, tired journalistic ploy!

[Mickboy]

I'm a Thai lumberjsck and I'm OKay I chop down the tree and I runaway........