Police believe that the express bus crash at Km15 of the Cameron Highlands-Simpang Pulai road on Monday in which 27 people were killed, mostly Thai tourists, was due to driver factor and technical problems of the bus.

Perak police deputy chief Zakaria Yusof who said this, also denied that the accident could have been caused by the road's oily patches.

"We arrived early at the scene of the accident, so did the Fire and Rescue team. The stretch of road was dry at the time. The oil patches were only seen after we lifted the bus wreckage.

"However, it is up to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), Puspakom and Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board to determine the cause of the accident," he told a press conference in Ipoh today.

Twenty-five Thai tourists and two Malaysians, comprising the bus driver and tour guide, were killed while another 10 Thai tourists were injured in the 11.40am accident.

It was the worst road accident in the history of the country.

Zakaria said the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur was collaborating with Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital and police in arranging for the dead victims and injured passengers to be sent home.

"Tomorrow, the relatives of the victims will arrive at the hospital between 11am and noon to identify them.

"The Thai embassy is making arrangements for the relatives to be flown by the Royal Thai Air Force to the RMAF base in Subang and then to Ipoh."

Asked about the list of victims which was said to be inaccurate, Zakaria said other parties were also issuing their own list, thus causing some confusion to the media and public.

Two of the women, Areena Songserm, 19, and Darunee Songserm, 59, were earlier listed as dead when were actually admitted to the hospital's normal ward and intensive-care unit.

On earlier reports that the second driver of the bus was also killed in the crash, Zakaria said police were waiting for the bus company to confirm whether there was one at the time.

- Bernama