Police were notified of the accident at 8:10am. Officers, including Pol Lt Col Akaraphon Sriwilai of the Tha Chatchai Police, and rescue workers from the Kusuldharm Foundation soon arrived at the scene. Joining them was an emergency response unit from the Mai Khao Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor).
Police and emergency responders arrived to find the white Hino bus on its side, sprawled across two lanes on Thepkrasattri Rd northbound with its windshield pushed out onto the central reservation.
The bus, registered in Buriram, was carrying 17 Chinese tourists, officials reported.
Of the 17 tourists on board, two men were seriously injured. The remaining six men, eight women and one child also suffered injuries in the accident.
All 17 were taken to Thalang Hospital.
Police explained that the bus was taking the tourists from Phuket town to Thap Lamu Pier in Phang Nga, where they were to board a boat to the Similan Islands.
The accident occurred on a curve known to be a blackspot for accidents. Warning signs have been posted to urge drivers to reduce speed before the curve.
Officers surmised that the bus was travelling too fast to negotiate the curve safely, and overturned.
Tha Chatchai Police are continuing their investigation into the accident while Tourist Police continue to assist the tourists at Thalang Hospital.