BANGKOK, Feb 5 — Thai police have finally wrapped-up their investigation into the bus accident in Chiang Mai last December which claimed the lives of 13 Malaysian holidaymakers.

The investigation officer of Doisaket district police station Pol. Capt.  Sanan Promna said police had also received the results of a drug test conducted on the driver yesterday which proved to be negative.

“We submitted the investigation documents (numbering 600 pages) to the public prosecutor yesterday (Feb 4), after we received the results of the drug test (on the bus driver) from Nakornping hospital in Chiang Mai.

“The prosecutor will take between 10 to 15 days to deliberate on the case, while the court will take about a month before arriving at a decision,” he told Bernama today.

Thirteen Malaysians were killed and nine others injured when the tour bus they were travelling in skidded into a ravine after colliding with a pick-up truck in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand on Dec 20.

The bus was heading to Chiang Mai from Chiang Rai province when it collided with the truck.

The police, said Sanan, had strong evidence against the driver for driving the bus packed with Malaysian tourists negligently, causing 13 of them to die in the accident.

““Even though, the suspect kept denying that he did not realise that he had hit two cars before the deadly accident, we (policemen) have very strong evidence against his testimony,” he said.

The driver could be charged under Section 291 of the Thai Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine not exceeding Baht 20,000 (RM2,300), if found guilty by the court, said the police officer.

Sanan said about 18 investigators combined their expertise to complete the investigation on the major case as it involved Thailand and Malaysia’s image and the tourism industry in Chiang Mai.

The tourism industry is a major contributor to Chiang Mai’s economy.

On the last two Malaysian victims from the bus accident who are warded at the Chiang Mai Hospital, Sanan said both of them were discharged end of last month.

Both of them are believed to be back home. — Bernama