UPDATE
Police have named the dead Indian as Amit Jame. Among the injured are Roberta Nortun, from Britain, Jonathan Bennet (unknown nationality) Luxembourg couple Jasmine Maglige and Magias Michael Figue, with Indians Push Pinder Kuma, Mrs Pinry Jain, Mrs Ashima Jain and Kapl Gaya from Zimbabwe.
Original Report
PHUKET: Tourists bound for the popular full moon party island of Phangan were among 10 dead and 17 injured when a VIP bus crashed early today.
Tonight's party - usually full of fun and fuelled by alcohol and drugs - is likely to be subdued by news of today's tragedy.
The bus from Bangkok overturned and narrowly missed slewing into a popular petrol station in Surat Thani province about 5.20am.
The 10 dead included one tourist - believed to be from India - four men, including the driver, and five women.
Of the 17 injured, three were believed to be full-moon party tourists from overseas. All 17 injured were reported to be seriously hurt.
The VIP bus, carrying 27 passengers and crew, ran off the road and hit a pole after leaving Bangkok at 7.30pm last night, according to early reports.
The reason for the crash is not known at this stage, police in Surat Thani told Phuketwan today.
Phangan attracts thousands of tourists to each full moon party, with the new moon due tonight.
Phangan is often accessed from the larger Thai holiday island of Samui, which is nearby.
The bus that crashed was the Bangkok- Samui VIP bus.......NOT the Bangkok-Koh Phangan bus
Posted by Andrew Fuller on July 3, 2012 11:55
Editor Comment:
Police have told us the bus was due to make a stop at the Samui ferry pier before terminating at the Phangan ferry pier. That makes it a Bangkok-Phangan bus.