PHICHIT --Four members of a Mexican family were killed and six others injured when the rented holiday van they were travelling in skidded off a rain-slicked road and slammed into a big tree in Pho Prathap Chang district of this northern province late on Thursday night.
The accident occured during heavy rain between kilometre makers 68 and 69 in tambon Noen Sawang, said Pol Capt Pathiwat Sonthirod, a duty officer at Pho Prathap Chang police station. It was reported to police around midnight.
Rescue teams said the vehicle had hit the tree head-on and the victims were still trapped in wreckage when they arrived, Thai media reported on Friday. It took them almost an hour to free the dead and injured, hampered by downpouring rain.
Police said four elderly foreigners died in the crash, two men and two women, and injured six others. All were Maxican nationals. They were rushed to a nearby hospital. A 70-year-old man was among the dead passengers.
Police said the tourists were travelling in a family group from Bangkok to Sukhothai. They encountered heavy rain on the way, with poor visibility and the road become slippery. It appeared the van had skidded off the rain-slicked road and into a big tree, said police.
Names were withheld pending notification of relatives. Police were investigating.
News reports said the family had hired the van on arrival at Bangkok airport from Mexico, and immediately headed north, driving it themselves to Sukhothai.