BANGKOK - A BUS packed with university students and teachers slammed into a hillside in eastern Thailand before dawn on Friday, killing at least 22 people and injuring 27 others, police said.

The bus was travelling down a steep road with numerous curves when it hit the hillside in Prachinburi province, police Major Suchart Yaemsak said.

'An initial investigation shows that the bus might have had a rake failure and could not stop on the steep road,' Maj Suchart said.

The death toll was expected to increase since a number of the injuries were severe, the police officer said.

The passengers were students and teachers travelling from the northeastern province of Khon Kaen to Chantanaburi province. Most of the dead were aged between 20 and 28, police said. -- AP