A tourist van lost control and crashed into a roadside tree on the Chiang Mai–Phrao road near kilometer 46, injuring seven people. Authorities rushed the injured to hospitals.
Reporters say that on the afternoon of 10 Jan 2026, the 1669 emergency center received a report of a serious accident on the Chiang Mai-Phrao road near kilometer 46, just before Wang Buatong waterfall in Mae Taeng district, Chiang Mai. Many people were trapped injured inside the vehicle, prompting coordination to request hydraulic rescue equipment from the Mae Jo rescue association along with nearby emergency teams to inspect the scene.
At the scene, a Toyota Commuter passenger van was found with its front severely damaged after crashing violently into a roadside tree. Inside, seven injured people were found; five were trapped inside the wreckage. Mae Jo rescue workers urgently used hydraulic tools to extract the injured. Investigations showed all seven victims were mostly foreign tourists, with details as follows.
Victim 1 (male): Critical condition, unconscious, no pulse. Rescue teams performed CPR and rushed him to Mae Taeng Hospital.
Victim 2 (female): Both legs deformed. Taken to Mae Taeng Hospital.
Victim 3 (male): Large open wound on right shin. Taken to San Sai Hospital.
Victim 4 (female): Severe wounds on left thigh and face, bleeding from mouth and nose. Taken to Nakornping Hospital.
Victim 5 (male): Abrasions over body. Taken to San Sai Hospital.
Victim 6 (male): The driver, complaining of chest and rib pain. Taken to Nakornping Hospital.
Victim 7 (male): Open wound on shin. Taken to San Sai Hospital.
Initial inquiries revealed the van was carrying tourists heading to a destination, traveling in a convoy. At kilometer 46, the driver attempted to overtake a car ahead but lost control, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and crash violently into a tree.
Rescue efforts were supported by multiple agencies including Mae Faek and Mae Hor Phra emergency teams, along with ambulances from Mae Taeng, San Sai, and Nakornping hospitals, who collaborated to assess injuries and transport the victims to appropriate hospitals based on their conditions.
