1-10-2024 (BANGKOK) A horrific incident unfolded on Tuesday when a bus carrying schoolchildren and teachers on an excursion burst into flames on a highway near Bangkok, potentially claiming up to 23 lives. The catastrophe has sent shockwaves through Thailand, prompting an outpouring of grief and raising serious questions about road safety in the kingdom.
The ill-fated vehicle was part of a three-bus convoy transporting pupils aged between kindergarten and early teens from Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam school in Uthai Thani province. According to Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, the bus was carrying 44 passengers – 38 students and six teachers. Initial reports suggest that only 19 individuals, including three teachers and 16 students, managed to escape the inferno.
The tragedy began to unfold around 12:30 pm local time when a tyre burst on a motorway in Bangkok’s northern suburbs. The bus subsequently careened into a barrier before erupting into flames. Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as the vehicle was quickly engulfed, with thick plumes of black smoke billowing skyward.
Rescue efforts were hampered by the intensity of the blaze, with workers forced to wait for the wreckage to cool before conducting a thorough search. Piyalak Thinkaew, leading the recovery operation, shared distressing details: “Some of the bodies we rescued were very, very small. They must have been very young in age.” He added that many victims had instinctively fled to the rear of the bus, where their remains were discovered.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her condolences to the bereaved families, stating on social media: “As a mother, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the injured and deceased.”
This catastrophe has once again thrust Thailand’s road safety record into the spotlight. The World Health Organization reports that approximately 20,000 people lose their lives annually on Thai roads – an average of over 50 fatalities per day.
