Police: 29 killed in Thailand bus accident

A bus carrying New Year travellers plunged off one of Thailand's highest bridges in the kingdom's northeast, leaving at least 29 people dead, police said.

The accident occurred around midnight Thursday-Friday in Lom Sak district, Phetchabun province while the bus was en route to the northern province of Chiang Rai.

"We suspect the bus driver fell asleep," Major General Sukit Samana, police commander of Phetchabun province, told AFP.

Twenty-eight bodies were found in the ravine and one died in hospital, he said.

Several others were in a critical condition. No foreigners were believed to have been on board.

"The eyewitness who informed the police said the bus went very fast before it plunged into the ravine," Sukit said.

He said more than 100 police, soldiers, civilians and rescue workers had joined the rescue effort.