China expresses concern over Thailand bus accident

BEIJING -- China's tourism authority said Saturday that it is highly concerned with a tour bus accident in southern Thailand that has killed a Thai driver and injured 17 Chinese tourists.

The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) said in a statement that it has asked its office in Thailand to urge local hospitals to spare no efforts to treat the injured and Thai police to find out the cause of the accident as soon as possible.

A bus carrying 35 Chinese tourists heading from a hotel in Krabi to a port in Phang Nga crashed on a pole which hit the bus on Friday morning, according to Thai media.

The Chinese consulate general in Songkhla said Saturday that nine of the 17 injured were hospitalized. Among them, three suffered severe injuries, including two children.

The CNTA will find out more about the tour group and help deal with the aftermath of the accident, according to the statement.