The accident happened at 4 am on the highway No 359 in Mueang Sa Kaew district.
Police suspected that the driver, Damrong Abdulfadah, 49, dozed off behind the wheel, leading to the accident.
He died on his way to a hospital.
Police said the van was chartered from Bangkok to take three Laotian women and 12 Laotian men to the Sa Kaew border checkpoint for new visa stamp.