Eighteen passengers were injured when a bus overturned on a slippery road in Thailand.

The tour bus, operated by local transport company Nakhonchai Air, reportedly lost control while driving along a rain-slicked motorway in Nakhon Ratchasima province early morning today, February 18.

It skidded off the road and onto the median strip where it flipped onto its side.

Local police said they rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 12:47 am. They found several passengers still trapped inside the bus and opened the emergency roof hatch to rescue them.

Eighteen passengers aged 20 to 69 suffered minor cuts, bruises, and lacerations. They were taken to the Chokchai Hospital for treatment.

The bus driver said they were travelling from Ubon Ratchathani province to eastern Thailand when the accident occurred.

A police spokesman said: 'We will inspect the scene thoroughly and question the driver and passengers further before proceeding with legal action.'

Nakhon Ratchasima was forecasted today to have cold weather in the early morning and hot weather throughout the day. Thunderstorms were also expected with gusty winds in some parts of the region, leading to rain in the evening.

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.

However, a lack of road safety education in schools along with notoriously easy driving tests, police failures to enforce road laws, and chronic under-investment in infrastructure, all appear to hamper the efforts.