7 Cambodians killed in Thai road accident

BANGKOK (AP) — Seven Cambodian migrant workers were killed Friday when their pickup truck lost control and crashed into a tree and in eastern Thailand, police said.

The pickup truck, carrying nearly 20 passengers, burst one of its tires before it hit the tree and flipped over into a ditch in Nong Yai district in Chonburi province early Friday morning, Police Col. Somneuk Haanta said.

Five of the workers were killed immediately while two others died in a hospital, he said. Seven others were hurt.

Police were trying to find the Thai truck driver who fled the scene.

"We are trying to find the driver to figure out the cause of the accident," Somneuk told The Associated Press. "It might be because he was not familiar with the route."

Earlier this month, nine Cambodians on their way home for a holiday break died in a car crash in the eastern province of Chanthaburi.

Thailand has more than 1 million migrant workers, mostly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

Road accidents are common in Thailand, where safety standards are poor and road rules are rarely enforced. Last year, more than 8,600 people died in accidents on Thai roads.