Two Lao women died and twelve others were hurt when their passenger van crashed and burst into flames in Thailand's Roi Et province early Tuesday morning.

The vehicle departed Bangkok on Monday evening around 9:00 PM with fourteen Lao passengers aboard, heading toward Mukdahan on the border with Laos' Savannakhet province. Around 5:20 AM the following day, the driver lost control along the Kalasin-Mukdahan highway in Phonthong district. The van skidded off the road, flipped over, and ignited, completely destroying the vehicle.

The two fatalities were women aged thirty and sixty. Emergency responders evacuated the twelve surviving passengers to area hospitals.

A survivor reported to Thai media that the van had been traveling at approximately 140 kilometers per hour and that the driver seemed to be dozing off. Passengers urged him to reduce speed, which he did momentarily before accelerating again.

Thai authorities have not yet determined the official cause. Police are examining CCTV recordings and other evidence while working with relevant agencies on matters concerning the Lao passengers.