BEIJING, March 25 -- The China National Tourism Administration launched an emergency program in response to an accident that killed three Chinese tourists in Thailand Wednesday.

As part of the program, the administration will send representatives to Thailand to discuss tourist safety.

Three Chinese tourists, two females and one male, were killed after a bus crashed on the island of Phuket Wednesday morning, China's consular office in Phuket said.

At around 11:40 a.m. local time, the tour bus, which was carrying 18 Chinese tourists, plunged into a valley after its brakes failed. The other 15 Chinese tourists survived but sustained injuries, according to the consular office.