Twenty-one passengers were burned alive after a horror bus crash in Thailand today (March 30).

The coachload of Burmese workers had been travelling from Mae Sot province, Thailand, last night.

They had recently obtained work permits and were destined for Bangkok to work on construction projects, where wages are higher than neighbouring Burma.

But the driver of the bus lost control and ploughed into a bank on the side of the highway in Tak province at 1.25am this morning.

Fire broke out in the engine before engulfing the rest of the bus in a matter of seconds.

Police said that 27 of the 48 passengers on board escaped but 21 were incinerated inside the bus.

Gruesome pictures showed the charred remains of the dead being laid out on the roadside - with officers unable to tell the difference between male and female corpses.

This is the horrifying moment 21 passengers were burned alive after a horror bus crash.

The coach load of Burmese workers had been travelling from Mae Sot province, Thailand, last night.

They had recently obtained work permits and were destined for capital city Bangkok to work on construction projects, where wages of higher than neighbouring Burma.

But the driver of the bus lost control and ploughed into a bank on the side of the highway in Tak province at 1.25am this morning (Fri).

Fire broke out in the engine before engulfing the rest of the bus in a matter of seconds.

Police said that 27 of the 48 passengers on board escaped but 21 were incinerated inside the bus.

Gruesome pictures showed the charred remains of the dead being laid out on the roadside - with officers unable to tell the difference between male and female corpses.